Five years ago, with joy and a bit of upset, I came to the beautiful country of China to explore a different culture, and tried to learn and live in a new language. Last year, with love for music, I got admitted to Zhejiang Conservatory of Music for a master's degree in vocal music. I’ve gained a lot here as music has revealed to me its endless charm!

- Anna, graduate student of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music

       Anna, a musician from Ukraine, has been endowed with many gifts since she was a child. While learning bandura, a Ukrainian national instrument, she took great interest in singing. She once won the first place in Do-Re-Mi, an international song contest held in Italy.

       Five years ago, her love for Chinese culture and the unique charm of the regions south of the Yangtze River brought Anna to Hangzhou, China. Anna told the world how wonderful Hangzhou is in the short video collections themed “Discover Hangzhou”, part of the event “Hangzhou in the Eyes of Foreign Friends”. She said, "The regions south of the Yangtze River features a sense of romantic aesthetics, which has been carried on by Hangzhou's distinctive geography, social structure and cultural tradition. These have also inspired my desire to create and share works."

       In September 2021, she was admitted to the Department of Vocal and Opera at Zhejiang Conservatory of Music for postgraduate study. Anna said that the study for one academic year was productive. "I was totally immersed in the enchanting atmosphere of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music for the past year. I have met many excellent professional teachers and acquired much valuable knowledge and experience. I have felt my own remarkable improvement under the instruction of the teachers. I look forward to more experience and growth on the pretty campus."

       During her studies in China, Anna was invited to the Universal Show on CCTV-4, and sang the theme song ‘Long Time No See’ for the Hainan International Film Festival. Her work ‘I Grow Together with Hangzhou’ secured the second place in the Zhejiang Short Video Contest titled “Picturesque Zhejiang and Me”. This year, she has actively participated in the campaigns for the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022, and performed as a representative of international students in the all-star version MV of ‘Our Asia’.

       Jiao Yang at the International Office of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music said that Anna, a winner of the full scholarship for international students, studies very hard, treats others modestly, and loves the art of music. She takes part in various public benefit activities inside and outside the school.

Now, Anna has completely integrated herself into the life of China, and set up a goal for the short term - to obtain a master's degree in bel canto with merit. Tutor Ms. Fang Xianglei has her own expectations for Anna. ‘Anna is a pretty Ukrainian girl with a clear and bright voice. She has the savvy for music. Anna shows her infinite love and passion for vocal music in class. She can overcome the language obstacles and make rapid progress, for which she has been recognized by the teachers. I wish her a more fabulous music career in the future!’