Rural children's choir sings its way to M-prize

A rural children's choir from China has won the M-prize, its organizer announced in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, on Friday.

Malanhua Children's Choir from North China's Hebei province, along with the Australian education organization The Song Room, were the two recipients of the Huamao Aesthetic Education Prize, known as the M prize.

Established by the Ningbo Huamao Education Foundation last year, the two will be awarded a gold medal and a prize of 500,000 yuan ($78,111).

All young performers hailed from the Malanhua Children's Choir of Fuping County are deep in the Taihang Mountains of Hebei province in North China.

The choir is committed to cultivating the talent of children, especially in music, said Zhao Xiaodong, Deputy Chief of Fuping County in Hebei when receiving the prize. Earlier this year, the choir made its public debut as they sang the Olympic Anthem in Greek at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

"We try our best to make their voices heard outside the mountains," he said. "Music is a good way to help children fly higher."