Singing their way to solidarity

"I am just an ordinary music lover. I've had to learn the accordion, the piano, composition, and arranging on my own. But I am willing to do my part to help the choir grow and through these songs that reflect the friendliness, openness, warmth, and passion of Latin American countries, inspire more Chinese," Yang says.

Chen says one reason he follows Yang is her professionalism. "If you want to sing a song, the pronunciation must be accurate; otherwise, neither Chinese nor foreigners will understand," he says.

Li Shanlin has been part of the choir for over a year. "I really appreciate Yang's arrangements. But I'm almost 70 years old and my memory is declining, so I think about quitting. However, Yang has refused to let me, and even invited me to participate in the event organized by the Peruvian embassy. My wife also supports and encourages me to continue," the 68-year-old says.

The Friends of Latin America choir has participated in several events hosted by Latin American embassies in China, gaining recognition within the Spanish-speaking diplomatic community.

Pei Shu joined the choir after watching their performance at the Mexican embassy in Beijing last year.

"The Chinese and Latin Americans have similar experiences, such as resisting aggression and fighting for national independence," 66-year-old Pei says, adding that this is why songs like La Paloma (The Dove) and El Condor Pasa resonate with him.

But 68-year-old Luo Jian believes that singing is the least thing worth mentioning of all they have learned in the choir.

"I used to be a bit depressed, but I have totally recovered. I think that people, no matter how old they are, always have the ability to learn new things, even at 80. In this choir, we have learned to maintain an optimistic spirit and work together," she says.