Attendees pose for a photo during the training event for teachers under the "Spring Bud Dream Chorus" project, in Beijing, on March 31. [CCTF]

China Children and Teenagers' Fund (CCTF), Tencent Foundation and FAW Audi Sales Co., Ltd. jointly launched the first session of a public-interest training event for teachers under the "Spring Bud Dream Chorus" project. The three-day event was held in Beijing, beginning on March 31.

Zhang Yanhong, secretary-general of CCTF, and Zhang Qiang, deputy general-manager of FAW Audi Sales, addressed the opening ceremony. Three experts of the "Spring Bud Dream Chorus" artistic-guidance committee were present.

Children of ethnic minorities, from across China, perform during the opening ceremony of the training event for teachers under the "Spring Bud Dream Chorus" project, in Beijing, on March 31. [CCTF]

Noting the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) stressed the country should fully implement the Party's educational policy, carry out the basic task of fostering virtue through education, and nurture a new generation of capable young people with sound moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility, and work skills, who will fully develop socialism and carry forward the socialist cause, Zhang Yanhong said the Spring Bud Project has closely followed the development trend of the times, fully met the expectations of girls, and expanded the content and scope of its coverage and services throughout the years.

Zhang Yanhong said the inauguration of the "Spring Bud Dream Chorus" was an important step by CCTF in implementing the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, as it helped enhance girls' comprehensive quality, through aesthetic education.

Given the efforts of countless people, from all segments of society, the "Spring Bud Dream Chorus" has enjoyed positive development, Zhang Yanhong said. The participation of many famous artists, she added, will increase the teaching level of the chorus, and will help the chorus spread fine Chinese and foreign music and arts, and also carry forward traditional Chinese musical culture.

Zhang Yanhong urged teachers with the "Spring Bud Dream Chorus" to use the training as a new starting point, to integrate advanced educational philosophies and scientific teaching methods into their daily work, to win the trust of girls through music, and to endeavor to become guardians for girls in the pursuit of music. 

She also urged more social forces to get involved in public-interest affairs of children and to strive in unity to be guides for children's growth, guardians of children's rights and interests, and builders of children's future.

During his speech, Zhang Qiang, with FAW Audi Sales, said the helping organize the training will be a new starting point his company's cooperation with CCTF. He also said he hoped the public-interest-training event would plant the seed of the arts into the hearts of rural children, and that it would encourage them to be self-reliant, be enterprising, and develop into a new generation, capable of shouldering the mission of national rejuvenation.

Artistic-guidance committee members pose with their certificates of honor during the opening ceremony of the training event for teachers under the "Spring Bud Dream Chorus" project, in Beijing, on March 31. [CCTF]

Zhang Yanhong and Zhang Qiang presented certificates of honor to the experts of the artistic-guidance committee. Tan Lihua, a renowned conductor and former head of Beijing Symphony Orchestra, said he and the other committee members will put their hearts and souls into the chorus, and they will rally the strength of more artists to support the healthy and all-round growth of disadvantaged girls in rural areas, and help the girls create brighter futures for themselves.

Artistic-guidance committee members participate in discussions during the opening ceremony of the training event for teachers under the "Spring Bud Dream Chorus" project, in Beijing, on March 31. [CCTF]

On the sidelines of the training session, committee members held discussions with school representatives on the important roles played by the "Spring Bud Dream Chorus" in ensuring the availability of quality education for girls, and on achieving educational fairness and promoting the balanced development of educational resources. They also made proposals on ways to increase the competence of the chorus, especially in economically underdeveloped areas, and ways to bolster the artistic literary of girls.

The training session brought together 50 teachers from across China, who received education and guidance on basic choral theoretical practice, conducting techniques, children's voice-training methods, student selection, and the application of folk-style singing in chorus.

The public-interest chorus program was unveiled by CCTF, Tencent Foundation, and FAW Audi Sales in 2022, in response to the call by Peng Liyuan, a special envoy of the Spring Bud Project for the advancement of girls' education, to enhance implementation of the "Spring Bud Project — Dream of Future Action" initiative. 

The program is aimed at recruiting and building the "Spring Bud Dream Chorus" in schools in ethnic minority areas, and at helping girls unleash their musical potential and realize their personal dreams in music.

Representatives of 12 choruses pose with their awards during the training event for teachers under the "Spring Bud Dream Chorus" project, in Beijing, on March 31. [CCTF]

To date, 12 such public-interest choruses have been established in 10 provinces and municipalities.

(Source: CCTF)