Sound of Music on American Campus by Tingting Yuan

Singing is part of my life and it defines who I am. However, hardly can I imagine that my singing would be heard on American campuses until it just happened this fall！

On the weekend of Mid-autumn Festival, a talent show organized by the Chinese Student and Scholar Friendship Association of NC State was held at Witherspoon Student Center. It was said that winners would participate in a performance competition among Chinese students and scholars who study and work in the Triangle area in North Carolina. Isn’t that exciting?

I chose “The Ballet of Spring” as the song I sang for that night’s contest. Back then, I had no idea whether my audience in the U.S.A would be familiar with Chinese folk music and the corresponding type of singing. With that thought in mind, I was nervous and anxiously waiting for my turn. When the host announced my name, I slowly walked to the center of stage, only to be welcomed by a round of applause. I calmed myself down and started to interpret the song of “The Ballet of Spring” with my own voice. Luckily, I was awarded the first prize and honored to compete in the final intra-college performance competition within the triangle area which later took place at Duke University on Oct 22!

Once stepping onto the Duke campus, its Gothic buildings and garden-like environment took my breath immediately! Who would decline an invitation to perform at a historical place on Duke campus at a wonderful night? Once the first note of “The Night of Ulan Bator” was on, my passion for singing was ignited. I abandoned myself to singing that I almost forgot I hadn’t been on stage for several years, even though I had a degree in vocal singing! What I remembered was to perform the best of myself to the audiences. Finally, I ended up with the third prize. Looking back, I realized that it was great experience for me to have the opportunity not only to show my talent, but also to popularize Chinese folk song. The awards from these two competitions were important, but friendship I made along the way was even more worth of cherishing!