Marcia Melchior, artistic director of Brazil's Orquestra Forte de Copacabana, or the Forte de Copacabana Orchestra, watched the young musicians on stage. A clear vocal melody rang out, followed by a graceful tune that filled the air. Brazilian performers danced to the rhythm, and local Chinese youth joined in, forming a circle and moving freely to the beat.

"This is more than just performing," Melchior said."Music is universal; it connects people. Even without a common language, people can feel it with their hearts."

The scene unfolded at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Guangxi Sanyuesan Festival in Nanning, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on April 18.

Traditionally celebrated on the third day of the third month on the Chinese lunar calendar — which fell on April 19 this year — the festival is a time for the Zhuang ethnic group to honor their ancestors and express love through singing.

From April 15 to 20, the Forte de Copacabana Orchestra was invited to participate in the festival and join cultural exchanges with local youth.

Based in Rio de Janeiro, the orchestra is composed of young musicians aged 13 to 25. Recognized as part of the Cultural and Intangible Heritage of the State of Rio de Janeiro, it serves as an important messenger of friendship between Chinese and Brazilian youth.

During the festival, the orchestra combined classical music with the passionate rhythms of Brazilian samba, performing melodies familiar to both Brazilian and Chinese audiences. Upbeat Brazilian classics brought energy to the stage, while Flor de Lis (Lily Flower) echoed the Chinese folk song Mo Li Hua (Jasmine Flower), creating a musical dialogue across cultures.

Singer Michelly Gondim admitted that learning to sing in Chinese in a short time was not easy, but the challenge made it even more memorable.

"This is an incredible experience. Being able to share these cultural elements with Chinese artists is truly special," she said.