The orchestra performs on stage, filling the tulou with graceful melodies. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Tulou in Daxi village, Yongding district, Longyan, Fujian province, was illuminated as more than 70 members of the Geneva State Wind Orchestra from Switzerland delivered a transcendent symphonic performance.

This year is the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Switzerland and the China-Switzerland Year of Culture and Tourism. The concert blended Eastern and Western musical traditions within a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Under the joint baton of conductors, the performance opened with the Welcome March. As the Chinese and Swiss national anthems were performed, the audience rose to sing along, greeted by prolonged applause.

Ode to the Red Flag followed, seeking to evoke a sense of national pride in Chinese audiences, while the gentle melody of The Waves of Gulangyu evoked the unique cultural ambiance of southern Fujian.

One audience member, Lai Meihua, said that the fusion of robust wind ensemble and lyrical chorus, history and modernity, and East and West created a strong cultural resonance.

Built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), tulou in the Daxi village reflects Hakka communal living and mutual support. Here, Swiss wind music met Chinese heritage, creating not just a musical dialogue but a profound emotional connection.

Zhao Yuan, president of the Swiss-Chinese Association and conductor of the Geneva State Wind Orchestra, described the performance in a Hakka tulou as a vivid encounter with history and culture – one that fosters friendship and emotional connection.

The 75th-anniversary tour in Fujian featured four stops, including Gulangyu Island in Xiamen, Quanzhou, and Fuzhou, drawing over 10,000 on-site audiences and more than one million online viewers.