A concert with a difference: touching the hearts of autistic children
String music is performed at the special show.
Charity foundations in Shanghai turned to music to open the hearts of autistic children.
Musicians and autistic kids from Angel Music Salon put on a special show on Thursday at Shanghai Tower. It included a quintet and dances.
The salon was started by philanthropist Cao Xiaoxia and her 98-year-old father, renowned conductor Cao Peng, to give young people a place to express themselves musically and build their self-esteem.
The salon has assisted hundreds of children with autism over the past 10 years and was awarded by the Shanghai Charity Foundation.
Pianist Kong Xiangdong at the event
Cao was motivated to start a project to assist autistic children at her father's music center, the Shanghai Caopeng Music Center, about 13 years ago after reading an article about treating autism through music.
This led to the creation of the Angel Music Salon, where children are taught to play musical instruments, dance and perform. Some of them have given shows abroad after joining the City Young Symphony Orchestra.
Donations were also collected at the concert.
The event was co-hosted by the Shanghai Cao Peng Charity Foundation and the Xia Zheng Nong National Culture Education Development Foundation.
According to Xia Yanru of the Xia Zheng Nong National Culture Education Development Foundation, "love is spread via the power of the music, and it is deeply rooted in everyone's heart and warms the city."
Dance performance at the concert
