Beyond language
For the students at Tianjin Juilliard, the bridging of cultures is not theoretical — it is a daily practice.
When the 23-year-old Manou Magdalena Chakravorty arrived in Tianjin from Chicago last August to study cello, she expected the city to feel foreign and overwhelming.
During her undergraduate study, her professor was He Sihao, a former faculty member at the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University. But instead of being overwhelmed, she found herself captivated by Tianjin.
"The campus was incredibly beautiful. Sometimes I just walk along the river and take it all in — it's very calming," said Chakravorty, who grew up in a multicultural family that embraced the cultures of both Europe and Asia.
Chakravorty, who started playing cello at the age of 4, has embraced Chinese music as part of her studies.
Performing pieces with flowing melodies and microtones that differ from Western compositions, she has learned the subtle art of Chinese music.
"Music here allows you to communicate across language barriers. Even when words fail, playing together creates understanding," she said.
"Before I came to China to study at the Tianjin Juilliard, I planned to go back home after graduation. But now, I am thinking about working here," she added.
Apollo Rayme Parish Mitchell, 23, born and raised in San Francisco, shares the same sentiment.
Drawn to Tianjin's historic streets and lively rhythm, Mitchell has immersed himself in both Chinese culture and rigorous musical study. He has attended concerts, explored historic sites in Shanghai and Xi'an, Shaanxi province, and engaged deeply with Chinese musical traditions.
In 2024 and 2025, he also toured with the Tianjin Juilliard Orchestra, with concerts performed in Beijing, Guangzhou of Guangdong province, and Hong Kong.
"Even when language was limited in rehearsals, we communicated through music. It's immediate, visceral, and universal," said Mitchell, who studied with the oboist Mingjia Liu at the school in Tianjin.
"Living here has taught me that music can communicate even when words fall short. That's the real power of what we do," Mitchell said.
