Music ensemble unlocks potential in 'children of the stars'

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, which one is your eye..." The enchanting melody, played by a group of "children" on the autistic spectrum in the southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen, is as reassuring as the starry sky.

With the sounds of various musical instruments in perfect harmony and the gentle voice of their teacher humming a merry tune, the children were immersed in the world of music in a classroom at the Sunshine Cultural and Sports Center in Nanshan district, Shenzhen.

Yet when the performance ends, they act like loners to others, looking quietly at the instruments, walking around, or mumbling. The autistic spectrum disorders make them dwell in a fortress of their own.

The Aite ensemble, however, connects these lonely souls with music and love. Its members are all young people with autistic spectrum disorders, aged 15 to 39.

The musical journey of this ensemble started from only one member. At 20, Beibei, a youth with severe autism, started to learn piano, for which he showed great talent and passion.

With efforts and the company of his mother, Sun Lili, Beibei made something of himself in many competitions and on TV screens.

"Many people got to know Beibei through music and gradually came to understand the autistic community. I would wonder if we could bring those with autistic spectrum disorders together and connect them in the world of music," said Sun, also the founder of the Aite ensemble.

The idea of creating an ensemble was born in 2013.

It was a bumpy ride at the time when it started. There was no training space or teacher. Sun decided to use her home as a classroom and invited Beibei's piano teacher in for the ensemble.

As it takes longer for autistic children to process information, their mothers must memorize all the key points in class and practice the musical pieces with the children at home until all the chord changes and scales are well commanded.

The ensemble soon secured its first performance chance in 2013. It was on a concrete open-air stage in a village with a sparse audience. Wearing full costumes in searing heat, the ensemble members brought their first musical piece to the audience.

"Our kids can cooperate too. They're amazing kids," Sun said. She still remembers the children's sweat-soaked shirts and the mothers' eyes filled with tears of joy.

Gradually, the ensemble became better known. By hosting their own "Star Concert," the children stepped onto bigger stages. The first "Star Concert" was held at the music theme hall of the Futian District Culture Center in Shenzhen. The venue, with a capacity of 300 people, received registrations from over 700 people.

The children on the autistic spectrum, often called "children of the stars," finally shined on the stage in front of hundreds of people.

The Aite ensemble started to use donations to run public music courses for people with autistic spectrum disorders in Shenzhen, allowing them to make connections with the real world.

In 2018, Xiaodai, at the age of 13, took part in a public keyboard course hosted by the Aite ensemble. "Xiaodai was an early beginner at the piano at that time but had been learning wind instruments, so the teacher let us try it out," Xiaodai's mother said.

This attempt made him one of the key members of the ensemble.

Once Xiaodai could only play the ocarina solo in front of his mother, but now he can play skillfully with his buddies as a team.

Although he is not good at expressing himself verbally, he is brave enough to stand up on every stage at every performance, said Xiaodai's mother.

From one person to 12 members, the Aite ensemble has undergone a difficult yet impressive 10-year journey. "Voices" from "children of the stars" are heard by more people now.

"We have performed more than a hundred times so far. The audience can feel that our children are making progress," said Sun. "Parents of autistic children from other places have come to Shenzhen to learn our model, hoping that music will connect their children with the world."