Skip to content

Award-winning Chamber Choir represents NTU in China

Our Chamber Choir has recently returned from an exciting international tour to China. Students, staff and alumni from the auditioned ensemble had the opportunity to travel across the globe, visit three major cities and perform in concerts at two of NTU’s partner universities.

    NTU Chamber Choir with students and staff members from Communications University China

    The first leg of the tour saw the 22-strong group visit the Communication University of China (CUC) in Beijing. NTU has had a strategic partnership with CUC since 2016, and offers three joint Master’s courses with their Faculty of International Media (ICUC). Our Chamber Choir were invited to give a concert to students and staff, and treated to a performance by CUC’s Choir.

    Other highlights of the capital included the chance to explore the city and visits to world-famous landmarks – the Great Wall of China and the Olympic Park. On their final evening in Beijing, choir members enjoyed traditional food with several CUC students who will begin their studies at NTU in September 2019.

    The next stop on the tour saw the choir travel south for a special performance at Hangzhou Normal University (HNU), one of NTU’s strategic international partnerships under the Nottinghamshire and Zhejiang Province Friendship Agreement.

    There they joined HNU’s Chamber Choir for a joint concert to celebrate a milestone year of collaboration marked by our successful funding application to the China National Scholarship Council which is being match funded by the Zhejiang Provincial Government.

    This ongoing scholarship will sponsor HNU students studying primary Education to study a one-year programme at NTU’s Institute of Education.

    Finally, the Chamber Choir travelled to Shanghai, where they performed for students at the Shanghai United International School (SUIS).

    Matthew Hopkins, NTU’s Director of Music told us: “It was fantastic to be able to give students in the Chamber Choir the opportunity to travel to China, and to represent NTU through performances at partner universities.”

    Stephen Williams, Director of NTU Global, commented: “We are committed to making a contribution to the world through our collaborations with our global partners. Together we can make a real impact through joint research, teaching and cultural collaborations, such as the global engagement of our Chamber Choir.”

    Singer Beth Horton, who is a final year Costume Design and Making student, said: “Travelling to China was a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was incredible to experience the Chinese culture and I’ve definitely made a lot of close friends from the trip.”

    Our Chamber Choir travels to a different country each year to perform, with previous tours including visits to South Africa, India, Spain, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. In 2020 the choir will travel to Belgium for the World Choir Games, following their silver medal win at the competition in 2018.

    Published on 18 April 2019
    • Category: Current students; NTU Arts