Special-Needs Children Band Moves 13,000 Fans at Chongqing ‘Yuchao’ Football Match

Chongqing - A five-minute halftime performance by a four-member children’s band from Yunyang Special Education School brought more than 13,000 spectators to tears during a match of the Chongqing’s “Yuchao” Football League on December 7.

Taking the field at Yunyang Stadium during the home match between Yunyang Dinosaur Team and Wuxi Hongchiba Team, the band—known as the “Yinghe Jihua” (Firefly River Plan)—performed the popular song “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky.” Their clear, determined singing and steady instrumentals quickly drew the crowd into a spontaneous chorus, turning the stadium into a sea of voices and phone lights.

Nine-year-old keyboardist and lead singer Ni Wanxin, who has severe visual impairment, opened the song with a trembling yet resolute voice. Guitarist Gong Yuxin and bassist Qu Xinyue, both also nine and hearing-impaired, played with quiet focus. Fifteen-year-old drummer Zhang Xuanrui, on the autism spectrum, kept the rhythm steady despite the crowd's overwhelming noise.

As the final line faded—“Cross the lies and embrace you”—the stadium erupted in thunderous applause. The children bowed repeatedly toward the stands. Some could not hear the cheers, others could not see the waving crowd, but the raised thumbs of their teachers told them everything: the performance was a success.

Videos of the performance quickly went viral online. “They are the brightest stars,” wrote one viewer. “They proved that life’s value is not defined by limits, but by courage.”

A Band Built on Patience and Devotion

The band was established only in May this year, and none of its four members had a strong musical foundation at the beginning. According to Deng Han, vice-chair of the school’s labor union and the band’s founder, the children attend regular academic classes in the morning and rehearse together in the afternoon.

“The hearing-impaired students are in one class, the visually impaired in another. They come together for band training every afternoon,” Deng said.

A longtime football and music lover, Deng once played in a college band. After joining the special education school in 2023, Deng and colleagues performed at a New Year’s show in 2024, which sparked students’ interest in music. The band’s name reflects Deng’s belief: “Each child is like a firefly. Alone their light may be small, but together they form a galaxy that can light up the dark.”

Teaching the children required extraordinary creativity and patience. For students with hearing loss, melodies were translated into visual hand signals. For those with visual impairment, teachers guided their hands across keys and strings. None of the four teachers—Deng, art teacher Chen Xudong, and math teachers Zhou Lei and Luo Shengbing—are professionally trained musician.

“Sometimes a single four-beat measure takes more than a week to learn,” Deng said. “Most of our teaching is one-on-one.”

Training was equally demanding on the physical and emotional level. To strengthen bassist Qu Xinyue’s fingers, teachers had her lift water bottles using only her thumb and index finger. Drummer Zhang Xuanrui, who sometimes dropped his sticks and screamed due to emotional overload, gradually stabilized through constant patient guidance.

This mutual dedication between teachers and students allowed the band to grow steadily—and shine when it mattered most.

From Classroom to Stadium Spotlight

The song “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky” was chosen not only for its popularity but also for its message of resilience. Deng explained that the school proactively applied for the halftime performance slot to give the children a rare opportunity.

“They had never performed for more than 300 people before. This time, they faced over 10,000,” Deng said. “They were nervous—our lead singer cried backstage. But after the show, they were excited. They felt the recognition and warmth from the crowd. That experience will stay with them for life.”

Football as a Cultural Stage

The Chongqing “Yuchao” Football League has evolved beyond sports into a platform for cultural display. Yunyang has consistently showcased local heritage during home matches—from the opening drum performance to large-scale dance dramas highlighting the region’s dinosaur culture, salt-and-tea traditions, and the stories of migrant noodle workers.

Director Xiong Zhu, who oversees on-site performances, said the band’s appearance perfectly represented the league’s broader mission.

“'Yuchao' is not just about football—it’s a window into Yunyang,” Xiong said. “The children used music to show the city’s warmth and inclusiveness.”

The band had only two rehearsal sessions at the stadium before the live broadcast. “They delivered one of the most touching programs we’ve ever had,” Xiong said. “I even wrote a long post about it in my WeChat Moments that night.”

In the message to the band, Xiong wrote: “Be yourselves, beyond definitions. Today, you shone for yourselves, and you moved all of us.”