Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) held four student-led arts salons during its 2026 freshman welcoming season, bringing new students together through music, musical theater, dance and discussions on career development.

At a piano and music theory salon, students explored Chinese and Western music through a series of live performances and explanations. Freshman Zhang Mingyi, who has studied piano for 14 years, performed Western classical and Chinese pieces and shared basic piano techniques with fellow students.

The following musical theater salon combined singing, dancing and recitation in an original production created by freshmen. It encouraged students from different majors and backgrounds to express themselves and reconnect with artistic interests.

On Sept 4, a dance salon introduced different styles through performances and rhythm exercises. That evening, postgraduate student Zhang Yuxin sang and played the piano, sharing her three-month internship experience at a music company.

Drawing on her own experience, Zhang encouraged students to explore interests beyond their majors and develop skills such as event planning, social media operations and video editing.

The salons helped freshmen meet peers, share interests and begin university life through a range of artistic experiences.

Zhang Yuxin performs a song while playing the piano at an arts salon. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]

Students follow the beat in a group rhythm exercise at the dance salon. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]

Students perform a scene from the musical theater production. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]