The Hongling Middle School Youth Orchestra took home the gold award from the 2019 East European Band Festival International Competition and Conference held on August 20 in the city of Makó, Hungary, according to a dutenews.com report. With great enthusiasm and a high-level artistic performance, the ensemble presented the audience with three pieces of music — “Spirited Away” written by Japanese filmmaker and artist Hayao Miyazaki, household Chinese song “In That Place Wholly Faraway” and “Four Pictures — Negy Kep,” which won thunderous applause. The award is a result of their hard work and persistence over the past six months. Before the big day, the ensemble went to Vienna and Budapest to get instructions from renowned musicians at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. The experts offered suggestions to help students prepare for the coming competition and thought highly of their performance. On the evening of August 19, the orchestra gave an unforgettable roadshow at Makó City Square. Under the baton of teacher Shi Xiaokan from the school and Jozsef Csikota, president of the East European Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, the orchestra performed four different styles of music: touching “Spirited Away,” emotional “Summon the Heroes,” Chinese folk song “In That Place Wholly Faraway” and lively “Handclap.” Their performance lit up the square and won lasting applause and cheers from the audience. (Yang Mei) | 