Wuxi Chinese Orchestra performed with a concert under the baton of conductor Sun Peng at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on April 10, 2024. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Wuxi in Jiangsu province is nurturing music talent by hosting unique entertainment events and fostering a culture of music appreciation, thereby enriching the city's artistic landscape.

Over the last 30 years, the Wuxi Musicians Association has established 11 branches, covering niches like vocals, strings, pop music, and percussion. It boasts a membership of thousands.

The city is home to more than 500 folk music groups and over 80 campus music clubs. Its "Every Class Sings" choir competition brings together 780,000 students from 448 primary and secondary schools across the city.

The city is also dedicated to promoting erhu education in its primary and secondary schools. Since 2011, 70 schools have introduced erhu heritage classes.

To honor the Wuxi Opera tradition, the city has established multiple "Little Wuxi Opera Classes", with students consistently gaining admission to prestigious programs.

A multitude of campus orchestras, folk music groups, and choirs are also flourishing on city stages in Wuxi, contributing to international cultural exchanges.

Deng Jiandong, the music director of the Wuxi Chinese Orchestra, emphasizes the universal language of music and the city's efforts to seamlessly integrate music into its cultural fabric. He envisions collaborating with top musicians to create compositions that embody the city's unique essence.

The Wuxi Musicians Association has cultivated over 120 outstanding members and thousands of branch members. At the same time the Wuxi Dramatists Association has supported over 170 exceptional members and a large number of secondary association members, laying a solid foundation for the advancement of Wuxi's music culture.