Words of encouragement

Growing passion

There is a high demand for music education among her students and their parents, since the benefits of art education have become more widely recognized, according to Lin, who was also impressed by Gong's passion for music. "With her celebrity status, she enjoys sharing her knowledge about music and helping us to improve our singing skills," says Lin.

Gong, who started singing at the age of 5, was born and raised in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province. With Guiyang being home to numerous ethnic groups, Gong would often listen to their folk songs and imitate their dances. It was probably that early exposure that helped mold her distinctive voice and style.

She was enrolled to study folk music at the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing at 16, and she held her first solo concert in 1999, performing with the China National Traditional Orchestra, one of the most prestigious traditional music orchestras in the country.

In 2000, she won as one of the top winners in a Chinese national singing competition and gradually became a popular figure, performing at various galas.

After marrying Zollitsch, Gong has been dedicated to her own exploration of "new Chinese art music", which aims at preserving the essence of traditional Chinese folk music in new forms.

The couple has released songs based on Chinese poems that depict the 24 solar terms, a traditional Chinese calendar that summarizes different seasonal phenomena.

During the first half of this year, they also developed a new album inspired by Shan Hai Jing, or The Classic of Mountains and Seas, a 2,000-year-old collection of mythic geography, animals and folklore.

Gong's future plan includes launching more training programs for music teachers, especially those who teach students with special needs.

"I am looking forward to seeing the music teachers' students perform the songs. That's how those Chinese songs are passed on," says Gong.