Recently, DHU Singers, the choir of Donghua University, won three awards at the 17th Singing World International Choral Festival in Russia, namely the first prize of the Modern Music group, the second prize of the Folklore Music group, and the special prize for best arrangement of Russian folk song.
As a choral competition with global influence, the Singing World International Choral Festival aims to provide a platform of art exchange for experts and elite choirs around the world. It is held in St. Petersburg, the Music Capital of Eastern Europe. The festival gathered more than 50 teams from the Netherlands, Australia, Latvia, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, etc. The remaining teams participated in the competition, and DHU Singers. The DHU Singers is the only chorus of Chinese college students signing up for the groups of folklore music and modern music.
DHU Singers performed the following songs: Маленькие станции России, Conversion of Saul, and Sent North in Night Rain for modern music; Тонкая Рябина, Степь да степь кругом, and “When will the moon be clear and bright” for folklore music. DHU Singers demonstrated the superb singing skills, which were unanimously recognized by the judges and well received by the audience. Yang Qijun, Head of DHU Singers, said, “The old members of the team have worked very hard and paid a lot for the performance. Although the new members have joined the choir for a short time, they encouraged each other in practicing difficult songs and have improved greatly. As a member of the team, I’m very touched and proud of the concerted efforts made by teachers and all team members. ”
DHU Singers is one of the first members joining the Shanghai Youth Choir & Federation and a member of the Shanghai Student Art Troupe. Since the establishment in 2004, the choir has participated in five National College Students Art Festivals, in which it has won the first and second prizes multiple times in the Shanghai competitions.
In 2015, DHU Singers participated in the World Youth & Children’s Choir Festival (Hong Kong), winning two gold awards in contemporary chorus and performance chorus. In 2016, it won the gold award in the Fifth Shanghai A Cappella Competition. In 2018, it won the Gold Award for Chorus and the Best Performance Award of Kodaly’s Works in the Cantemus International Choir Festival in Hungary.
