New voices take the stage

Another segment of the program that received good feedback was the performance of a rock band, comprising 11 primary students from a village in a mountainous area in Guizhou province. It was the first time that the children were playing on a show that can attract millions of viewers. Many of the children came from poor families that make a living from farming. Accompanied by drum and bass, the rock band performed the song Live in the Sky to demonstrate a spirit of "never giving up".

Their teacher Gu Ya says the children didn't have access to musical instruments before going to school. They keep training their skills after finishing homework and farm work. Gu says some of these children would not become musicians in the future and may live an ordinary life considering their economic condition. But the web gala gave them "an unforgettable memory for life", adds Gu.

Yan, the director, says these children often asked her after rehearsal whether they had the chance to see the sea. She told them that there would be good things waiting for them in the future.

"I want our audience to see that no matter how hard life is, there's still hope and better things are waiting for us."