A Cappella singers hit high notes at competition

The Shanghai Mass Art Center in Xuhui District turned into a sea of joy with applause and cheers as 37 different age groups contested in the 2024 Yangtze River Delta A Cappella Competition on Saturday night.

With the soulful melodies of a cappella resonating in the air, contestants presented a feast to the ears, showing the unique charm and flourishing vitality of a cappella music.

It was the second year of the competition, which was even fiercer as the number of applicants in the young and middle-aged groups soaring nearly 40 percent from last year, according to the Xuhui District Culture and Tourism Bureau, the host of the competition.

"The competition heated up this year as all teams are stronger," said Wu Yijia who took the best lead singer award of the competition for the young and middle-aged group. "I am delighted to see that more people are falling in love with a cappella."

It is not just a musical competition, but also a platform for aesthetic education that promotes the widespread popularity of a cappella music, bureau officials said.

Adhering to the unique cultural charm of "Music Xuhui," the competition continues to play an active role as a cultural exchange platform, satisfying the growing cultural demands of the public, and leading a new trend of urban aesthetic education with a cappella music as a link.

This year, during the warm-up stage of the competition, a cappella music culture was promoted through the establishment of music classes, popularization lectures, aesthetic education appreciation, pop-up activities, and other forms. This has enriched and enhanced citizens' artistic appreciation and experience, and stimulated a wave of public participation in and enjoyment of culture.

At Saturday's award ceremony, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces jointly launched the Yangtze River Delta A Cappella Aesthetic Education Initiative.

Under the initiative, a cappella popularization training, exchange performances, lectures, and other activities will be hosted, promoting the improvement of public artistic literacy.

During the ceremony, a cappella artists from the United States, Germany and Denmark brought sincere blessings and beautiful visions to Shanghai through congratulatory videos.

In the future, a cappella music will serve as a bridge to connect with international platforms and link with important music festivals at home and abroad, officials said.

"The competition has gone more global this year, and its influence will become more widespread," said Jiang Yan, deputy director of the bureau. "In the future, we also want to use this competition to inspire more of our citizens to love music, and more to use such a music platform to play the role of cultural exchange in the region."