TORONTO -- A trio of Ottawa-area children鈥檚 choirs have combined their musical talents to send a message of support and kindness to people in China affected by the coronavirus.
Their video performance wasn鈥檛 just about hitting the right notes -- the kids had to learn a new language too.
鈥淚t was really cool, because learning all these new words was just cool and different,鈥� said student Juliet Thompson.
- Watch a special broadcast 鈥楥oronavirus: Facts vs. Fears鈥� LIVE Thursday at 7 p.m. EST on 麻豆影视 Channel
The Grade 4/5 class at Dr. FJ McDonald Catholic School, along with the OCSB Young Voices Choir and the C5 Choir with the Chinese Canadian Children鈥檚 Choir of Canada, filmed parts of the same Mandarin song conducted by Patricia Kaiser. The footage was later edited together and shared on social media.
鈥淲e are Canadian children,鈥� reads a caption on the video. 鈥淲e want you to know that we are thinking of you during this difficult time. We send you a message of love and support. We come from many different backgrounds, and most of us do not speak Chinese. But we have learned this Chinese song for you and we hope it will bring you encouragement.鈥�
The novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 has infected more than 92,800 people and killed more than 3,200, mostly in China.
The kids were eager to share a message of love and optimism in a time when misinformation and fear is spreading. 鈥淚 hope people who are stuck in their homes get to see this video, get to see that we're sending love to them,鈥� said Simon Gehrels/Richmond Tobi, members of the Grade 4/5 class.
鈥淚t just says, you are not alone, we are together, hand in hand,鈥� echoed young singer Yadong Guan with the Chinese Canadian Children鈥檚 Choir of Canada.
In an interview with CTV National News, Choir Director Kaiser said that the motivation for the performance was in part to combat prejudice. There have been reports of racist and sinophobic backlash towards Chinese communities, including in Canada, in response to fear of a local outbreak.
鈥淲hat can we do, when there's prejudice, fears about certain people?鈥� said Kaiser. 鈥淭he only way to combat it is through love. So how can we show love?鈥�
This video performance is a first step.
鈥淔or the coronavirus to be done,鈥� said singer Hamida Akter, 鈥渁nd no one gets sick anymore.鈥�
