Shanghai international student choir celebrates new year

Shanghai University's international students' choir has delivered a cross-cultural performance at the university's New Year concert, demonstrating music's power to transcend language and cultural boundaries through two pieces.

The concert featured a classical Chinese song adaptation Green Jade Cup — The Lantern Festival Night, based on Song Dynasty (960-1279) poet Xin Qiji's work, alongside the Ben E King classic Stand By Me.

"Through Green Jade Cup — The Lantern Festival Night, we expressed the Eastern poetic sentiment of searching through thousands of faces in the crowd," said Malaysian student Yew Yu Ying Kimberley from the school of journalism and communication.

"Stand By Me allowed us to reconnect with the audience through a timeless Western classic."

"During rehearsals for the concert, we meticulously refined our interpretation," said Thai student Klinsukhon Phichada.

"The gentle elegance of Song Dynasty poetry helped me deeply appreciate the enduring charm of Chinese culture."

Md Ali Emam, a student from Bangladesh, said the experience went beyond music.

"We learned that harmony is born not from the loudest sound, but from attunement, empathy, and shared purpose," he said. "Cultural diversity transforms the choir into an ecosystem of listening, where every voice is valued."