Musical student excels at rhythm and arithmetic

For 16-year-old Wang Min, a senior high school student from Midu county in Southwest China's Yunnan province, her journey with the Midu County "Little River Flows" Children's Chorus has been a stepping stone toward her musical aspirations and a source of unwavering warmth.

Min joined the choir when it was founded in 2022. Now in her second year of senior high school, she has grown with the choir, calling it a "second home" where she not only hones her singing skills but also shares joy and challenges with peers.

"Choir lets me express emotions — whether I'm happy or upset — through songs," Min said. "Learning new music knowledge and bonding with friends here always bring me joy."

Her passion is strongly backed by her father, who has become her most dedicated supporter. Every week, he rides a motorcycle to take Min to choir activities, turning the two-hour mountainous journey into a precious time for father-daughter conversations. Min's mother left when she was little and she was raised by her father alone.

"My dad has always encouraged my musical dream. He hopes I can become a music teacher someday, a stable career he believes will suit me," she said.

Min balances her musical pursuits with an impressive academic performance. She ranked among the top 30 in her junior high school of over 200 students and was admitted to a key high school in Dali, with extra points added due to her musical talent.

Despite the heavier workload in senior high school, she remains determined to keep participating in choir rehearsals. "The choir has fulfilled half of my musical dream by giving me the chance to perform on big stages. I want to repay it by staying and even helping teach younger members now," she said.

Min still remembers her first onstage experience at a performance in Midu. "I was trembling backstage, but the moment the stage lights hit me, all nervousness faded. My only thought was to sing well," she said.

A more recent highlight came last year during a trip to Beijing for a competition, when the choir practiced singing in a parking lot alongside other teams during rehearsals, the others were shocked by their good performance.

"At first, others didn't think highly of us, but under our teacher's guidance, we realized our choir was much stronger. It made me proud to see our hard work pay off," she said.

Min has set her sights on the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, a top arts institution in China. "I want to pursue a professional career in music. After college, I hope to come back to the choir as a teacher and help more kids like me chase their musical dreams," she said.