On the evening of December 30, 2024, the 5th “Vodas Cup” Shanghai Intercollegiate Foreign Language Song Singing Contest was held at USST. Present at the contest were such distinguished guests as Mr. Li Shaohua, Chairman of Shuicheng Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.; Ms. Zhao Huiying, Executive Vice General Manager of the company; Qu Deqiang, Secretary of the Committee of Communist Party of Chian (CPC) of CFL; Jin Xiaodong, Deputy Secretary of the Committee of CPC; Zhang Le, Vice Dean of CFL; Zhu Huifeng, Vice Dean of Hujiang College; Liu Ting, Deputy Secretary of the University Youth League Committee and faculty members and students from colleges and universities in Shanghai.
The Venue
The competition attracted 22 talented contestants from a dozen Shanghai universities, including but not limited to Fudan University (FDU), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), Tongji University (TJU). Each song served as a window into different cultures, bringing the audience to exotic places through heartfelt melodies and lyrical storytelling.
Electrifying Performances
Under the theme “Melodies of Water, Dreams in Bloom”—a fusion of water’s fluidity with music’s transformative power—the event symbolized how competitors’ aspirations shine like pearls in an ocean of artistry. Performances based on vocal technique, musicality, and stage responsiveness were evaluated by a panel of well recognized judges in the field of music. Dr. Hou Zhenyi received his PhD in a vocal performance from Hamburg University of Music and Drama. He is also a Shanghai High-Level Foreign Talent, Pujiang Scholar, and Distinguished Professor of Hujiang College, USST. Li Hua is a Council Member of the Shanghai Aesthetic Society, Director of Music Department, USST. Yu Hua is a tenor, music critic, former principal performer at Shanghai Opera House (SOH), member of the Shanghai Musician Association (SMA). Li Xuexin is an English Lecturer of CFL, USST. William Murray is a noted educator with extensive teaching experience in China, the U.S., Japan, and South Korea.
Based on the contests’ mastery of vocal skills, lyric rhythms and stage performance, the judges awarded the First Prize to Hu Shike ( from Shanghai Normal University, SHU); the Second Prize to Geng Ziyu (from Shanghai International Studies University, SISU) and Li Siyi (from Shanghai University of Sport, SUS) and the Third Prize to Wang Ke’er (from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, SUFE), Wang Jialun (from SJTU) and Zhang Chutong ( from Shanghai Lixin University of Accounting and Finance, SLU).
Sponsored by the Vodas Fund—a fund established by alumnus Mr. Li Shaohua of CFL—hosted by USST and the Shanghai Educational Center of Science & Art (SECSA), and co-organized by CFL and Hujiang College, the singing contest provided a platform for participants to showcase their musical talents while fostering cross-cultural exchange. By blending music with language learning, the event broadened participants’ global perspectives and strengthened intercollegiate collaboration.
Looking ahead, the organizers aspired to empower more music lovers to use music as a bridge for cultural diplomacy, to showcase China’s cultural confidence and to inject youthful energy into global understanding of China.
