On stage, a youthful symphony orchestra from Venezuela is playing a spirited rendition of Tico-Tico no Fuba, an enduring international hit composed by Brazilian composer Zequinha de Abreu.

The catchy melody and fast tempo transport the Chinese audience to the heart of South American culture.

Adding to the vibrant performance, the orchestra's conductor Christian Vasquez leads with dynamic flair. Following his expressive cues, different sections of the orchestra stand up during their solos.

The agile violinists in particular move fluidly, twirling and switching seats in graceful coordination.

Captivated by the infectious rhythm and expressive performance, many in the audience join in by clapping along to the beat.

As the piece unfolds, Vasquez, who is initially facing the orchestra and swaying with the music, turns to face the crowd. With ascending and descending hand gestures, he expertly directs the audience's clapping, creating a dynamic interplay between the performers and the listeners.

This was a scene from the encore performance by the Juan Jose Landaeta Symphony Orchestra at the China and Venezuela Youth Symphony Concert in Beijing on June 20 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The orchestra, whose members are aged 14 to 25, and the Soong Ching Ling Peace Angel Art Troupe Orchestra, an even younger ensemble, performed together.

This was the first overseas tour for the young Venezuelan orchestra and their repertoire included Venezuelan composer Inocente Carreno's Margaritena, Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas' Sensemaya and Evencio Castellanos' Santa Cruz de Pacairigua.

"We want to perform songs with a Venezuelan flair and Margaritena is a well-known folk song from Venezuela," says Vasquez.

"Santa Cruz de Pacairigua is by a Venezuelan composer named Evencio Castellanos. You can enjoy the beautiful sound of the piano, steel drums and harp. The trumpet solo at the beginning feels like it's saying, 'the party has started! You can dance'," he says.

Sensemaya is a song with a strong Latin American style. Latin American music can be challenging to play, especially when it comes to the rhythm. The performers have to feel it inside them. It's a profound type of music that is a rich mix of elements within a piece. Performers need to find a balance when playing, he adds.

On June 17 and 18, the orchestra collaborated with the China National Symphony Orchestra at the Beijing Concert Hall to present two concerts. Vasquez expresses his amazement at popular Chinese pieces, such as Jasmine Flower and Dance of the Golden Snake.

"We're so happy and proud to play Chinese music," he says.

"The melody is so beautiful. When you play, you feel like you can keep playing more and more. The contrasts in the music also amazed me," he says, humming the melody of Dance of the Golden Snake.

"Music is a universal language. We can communicate better when we play each other's music."

Vasquez has visited China several times. "I wanted to show the charm of a young Venezuelan orchestra this time."

Over the past two months, Liu Zheng has been conducting the Soong Ching Ling Peace Angel Art Troupe Orchestra in preparation for the concert.

Their repertoire includes Chinese composer Shi Wanchun's Festival Overture, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Gustav Holst's Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity, and Dvorak's Symphony No 9 Fourth Movement.

"The young orchestra was established just five years ago and its members are mostly aged 8 to 19.Some have heavy academic burdens, and these pieces are quite challenging even for adults to perform," says Liu.

However, he says that the young musicians did a good job. He adds that the members of the Juan Jose Landaeta Symphony Orchestra all grew up in Venezuela's publicly financed, voluntary music education system, El Sistema.

"They experience music through play. Generally, children in China are more reserved and formal in their performances. Tonight, they have been influenced by their Venezuelan counterparts. They have learned to first enjoy the music and then release that energy to the audience. This concert will bring about great improvements for the children in China," he says.

El Sistema was established in Venezuela in 1975 by Maestro Jose Antonio Abreu. It offers early-age musical ensemble involvement based on a distinct set of principles that emphasize immersive and joyful musical creation as a means for societal advancement.

El Sistema seeks to provide an opportunity for the underprivileged. Participation is free for all students.

Inspired by the system, Liu has been implementing his own musical education practices in China since 2019 and has invited national-level musicians to teach young children in the hopes of inspiring a love of playing music among more children.

Jiang Taihang, a classical music enthusiast based in Beijing, says that the performance by the Venezuelan orchestra in China was a rare opportunity to hear authentic Latin American symphonic music.

"The inherent expressiveness of this music captivates people's auditory and visual senses from the very beginning," he says.

Jiang, a music critic who often contributes articles to the official magazines of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, adds that it is noteworthy that countries like Venezuela and other Latin American nations are geographically distant from the musical centers of Europe. "This suggests that these countries did not have early exposure to the musical cultures of Germany or Italy, nor did they benefit from the rapid development opportunities provided by economic strength, like that of the United States.

"Despite this, Latin American composers have excelled in classical, sophisticated musical techniques since the 20th century and crucially, have successfully tailored them to their environment. This achievement could offer valuable inspiration for the advancement of symphonic music in China," he adds.

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