Poster of the Hungarian Youth International Concert Photo: Courtesy of the concert organizer

The Hungarian Youth International Concert was held in Hungary on Wednesday, marking a new peak in cultural exchanges between China and Hungary during the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary in 2024. 

At the concert, Chinese youth performed classic Chinese folk music pieces such as "The Jasmine Flower" using traditional instruments like the konghou, guzheng, and pipa. Hungarian folk bands also presented their own traditional music, creating a fascinating fusion of musical elements from both countries.

Notably, the Chinese orchestra played the Hungarian folk music piece Hungarian Dance with traditional instruments. The konghou solo by Jiang Xiuyan in collaboration with the Hungarian Symphony Orchestra brought the concert to its climax. 

The concert also featured 13 violin and cello students from Beijing, Shanghai and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. They played Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5.  Composed of students from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, the orchestra stated that such cooperation has opened up a new and important path for Chinese mainland and Hong Kong youth to jointly promote Chinese culture and tell Chinese stories overseas.

This concert not only showcased the musical talents of Chinese and Hungarian youth, but also wrote a significant chapter in the history of cultural exchanges between the two countries. The harmonious interplay of wind instruments and the konghou demonstrated the borderless nature of music.

The concert concluded with enthusiastic applause, with the audience's response echoing long after. Chinese attendees felt immense pride in the youths' brilliant presentation of Chinese folk music, while Hungarian audiences expressed their admiration for the unique charm of the presented performances.