Showing their brass

The Beidou Village Farmer Orchestra rehearses with the China National Symphony Orchestra at the Beijing Concert Hall.

"When we started, many couldn't even blow the instruments. Even now, we can only read numbered musical notation," says the captain, who plays the drum in the band.

Yang is the oldest player, age 63. He has two sons, a driver and a chef. All his life, he has been a farmer, a carpenter and a migrant worker. He says no one in his family ever dreamed of playing in a band.

Yang wears a 120-yuan ($19) swallow-tailed coat whenever he has the chance to play on a stage. He stands squarely, with confidence in his eyes.

"I'm very proud of myself. It's difficult for the young to learn a musical instrument in three years. I did it and I love my band," Yang says.

Every week, players of the band practice together two or three times. They often meet early in the morning, practice for about three hours and go home to work in their fields.

The band has expanded from seven to 16, including nine different instruments. They have performed publicly three times, but this opportunity in Beijing is their biggest stage. In fact, most of them are visiting the capital for the first time.

After the farmer orchestra's rehearsal, players from China National Symphony Orchestra applauded loudly.

"Their performances are not perfect, but very passionate. That's what impresses us the most," says Tian Shaoming, an oboe player in the professional orchestra.