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Girl to sing in support of Beijing
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Han Ximin
A YOUNG girl named Gu Lang, a 14-year-old local student, is destined to make a nationwide splash on Saturday by singing the English song "Under Southern Skies" along with Nikky Webster, the Australian child star who sang the song at the closing ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The two will appear at an an evening party on Saturday as part of Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Games.
The party, titled " Sacred Fire in My Heart", organized by CCTV and the Beijing Olympic Games Bidding Committee, is one of the largest activities yet held as part of the bid.
Gu is a Junior Two student in Shenzhen Senior High School and has outstanding skill both in English and music. She and another Beijing girl are the winners of a contest held by CCTV in search of a special singer.
Born in an artistic family, Gu's father, Gu Yong, was a music professor at Shenzhen University's College of Art, while her mother, Chang Qing, specializes in vocal music. Gu Yong studied music for four years at the University of Toronto in Canada.
Gu started learning violin at age three, vocal music and piano at six. She won her first prize at a national vocal music contest in 1992.
The family moved to Shenzhen in 1997, and Gu's music gift was well cultivated at Nantou Primary School, a provincial-level primary school famous for its music programme.
She represented China at the International Children's Art Festival in Romania in 1998 and was awarded a special prize for her vocal music performance.
While still a Junior One student in Shenzhen Senior High School, Gu won four prizes with her song "Weekend Diary" at a children's singing contest in February last year. Her rendition of "Pray", an English song composed by her parents, was well received at the UN. Secretary-General Kofi Annan praised Gu for her desire for world peace.
"We are not very surprised that Gu was chosen to perform in the evening party," said Guo Xiehua, Gu's teacher. The calm and intelligent girl is also a leading singer with the school choir. The chorus performed at the Sydney Theatre last year and last month wrapped up a performance at the Canada International Children Chorus Festival.
"It is only a little bit surprising to hear that my daughter was chosen to sing an English song at such a big event," Gu Yong said nonchalantly during a telephone interview yesterday.
When Mr Gu heard that CCTV was planning to hold the evening party this February, he sent his daughter's video tapes and resume to CCTV. Sydney Sun, a song written and composed by Gu Lang, greatly impressed CCTV director Zou Youkai.
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