YMS Celebrates a Successful UK–China Cultural Exchange

We were delighted to welcome pupils from our sister school, the Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao, to our Cobham campus last week, celebrating the second year of our UK–China Cultural Exchange, fostering musical collaboration and lifelong connections between our two schools and countries.  

It was a vibrant and productive week, with pupils from both schools participating in a packed programme of concerts, masterclasses, lessons and cultural experiences. Pupils rehearsed and performed together, sharing musical traditions while forming new friendships and deepening their artistic understanding, as Eastern and Western musical traditions combined.   

As part of the exchange, pupils from YMS and YMSQ performed at a special gala at Kings Place, London, hosted by the China International Culture Association, supported by the Cultural Section of the Chinese Embassy in the UK and the China National Tourist Office. 

Entitled ‘Echoes of Ancient Tang Poems,’ pupils performed traditional Chinese works and evocative musical settings of Tang Dynasty poetry, alongside professional singers from the Asian Performing Arts Council and the iSing Festival, led by celebrated bass and Artistic Director, Hao Jiang Tian. It was an honour to perform in the presence of His Excellency Ambassador Zheng Zeguang and his wife Counsellor Hua Mei.

Deputy Director of Music at the Yehudi Menuhin School, Marco Galvani, praised the opportunity: “The chance to collaborate with pupils from the Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao, along with the singers from iSing Festival, was incredibly valuable for our pupils. Ending the concert with all musicians coming together on stage for a collaborative piece that transformed a traditional Chinese folksong into Puccini's Nessun Dorma felt like the perfect tribute to the spirit of collective music-making fostered during the cultural exchange. The spirit of the Chinese Year of the Horse was represented through the energy and commitment that everyone showed with their dedication and hard work.” 

The exchange culminated with a beautiful evening celebrating Chinese New Year at the iconic Mansion House, in the heart of the City of London.  The evening welcomed distinguished guests, including Minister Wang Qi and Minister Yu Benlin from the Chinese Embassy, and Alderman and former Lord Mayor, Sir Charles Bowman.

The programme brought together a rich and diverse repertoire – from traditional Chinese works such as Jasmine Flower to masterpieces by Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Wieniawski – performed by ensembles from both schools. A thrilling finale saw acclaimed violinist, YMS alumnus and President of YMS Qingdao, Lu Siqing, perform with the combined young talents from the Yehudi Menuhin Schools in Presto from Summer, from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. It concluded to rapturous applause from a capacity audience of around 300.

Both schools are deeply grateful to the sponsors of the UK-China Cultural Exchange: ICBC, HSBC, RGP, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, China Merchants Bank, Shanghai Pudong Bank, UnionPay International and China CITIC Bank. Thanks are also extended to its supporting partners: the China UK Business Development Centre, the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK, the Institute of Directors, the Great Britain China Centre, the UK National Committee on China and the IoD China Group.