An award-winning youth brass band has travelled thousands of miles from its school in Beijing all the way to the north-east of Scotland to take part in this year’s Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF).
The Beijing No. 20 High School Brass Band and Chorus has toured hundreds of different cultural festivals all around the world in countries such as Russia, Italy, Switzerland and Spain since it first formed in 1986.
And now the band of 64 students and five teachers is taking its blend of classical and contemporary music to the Granite City, and Scotland, for the very first time.
Wu Gang, the conductor of the group, said that despite the cultural differences and language barriers between the Chinese schoolkids and their Western counterparts the talented youngsters have been made to feel welcome during their tour of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
Mr Gang said: “We have only been in Aberdeen for a short time, but the people have been very nice and honest, and good to talk to. They have made a good impression on me and the students.
“We have wanted to come to this festival for several years and participate. We have now been getting ready for three months to prepare our performances.
“And although it has been raining lots in Scotland, it is still better weather here than China because there is no pollution.”
And despite the average age in the brass ensemble being just 13, it has already managed to secure more than 10 awards at musical youth festivals across the globe.
Zhang Wan Xiang, principal of the band’s high school, said: “I’m very proud of the students. By coming to Aberdeen they have been given a good opportunity to play on an important stage and cooperate with students from many different countries.
“This is my very first time in Scotland. The Scottish people are very nice, and the country is very beautiful. They really make us feel at home.
“We will make sure to taste some Highland whisky before we go back to Beijing, and buy some tartan.”
The band will play its final performance of AIYF 2015 at the Inverurie Town Hall tonight at 7.30pm.
Tickets cost £8, with concessions costing £5.00. For more information visit www.aiyf.org