Beijing hosts competition for elderly choir singers

The inaugural Zhaojun Cup National Elderly Choir Competition was launched at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Tuesday. The event, themed "Voices of Silver Age", will open its registration on Thursday, with the finals to be held during Mid-Autumn Festival in Xingshan county, Hubei province, the hometown of Wang Zhaojun.

The competition is named after Wang Zhaojun, one of the "four beauties" of ancient China who was honored for promoting friendship between two ethnic groups through her marriage.

The competition not only provides a platform for choral enthusiasts aged 50 to 75 across the country to showcase their talent but also serves as a vibrant example of the integration of local cultural and tourism development.

Co-organized by the Zhaojun Cultural Promotion Association of Yichang City and Guo Lanying Art Development Foundation, the competition aims to showcase the vibrant and optimistic spirit of elderly people in China. It provides a platform for elderly participants who love singing to exchange artistic ideas and engage in communication.

The president of the China Choral Association and renowned composer Meng Weidong serves as the chief adviser.

"Music transcends age boundaries. Choral singing has a large fan base in China, from the young generations to the elderly people. Elderly choirs not only convey artistic emotions but also gather social positive energy," says Meng.

Renowned singer Deng Yuhua, 82, has deep affection for choral music since she was a child. "I joined a child choir at the age of 10 and began learning choral music. Choirs are a wonderful thing because they bring together the best voices of every individual."

According to the executive director Huang Zhe, the competition will feature online preliminaries, offline semifinals and finals. The awards ceremony will take place in late September during the Zhaojun Cultural Festival in Zhaojun village, Xingshan county. The judging panel will consist of more than 10 musicians and experts.

"The competition not only provides an artistic exchange platform for the elderly but also uses choral music as a collective art form to inspire social participation," says Huang.