"Each country has its own unique chorus songs, which carry the country's culture and tradition. We not only present our own songs but also enjoy other countries' music."

Like Marnauza, it's also the first trip to China for 25-year-old student Sizwe, who is studying accounting at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa. With 16 songs, including African folk songs and Western pop songs, Sizwe will perform with 56 students of the University of Johannesburg Choir, ages 19 to 26, in Beijing.

According to the conductor of the choir Renette Bouwer, the University of Johannesburg Choir has bloomed into "a musical hybrid that reflects the country's past and hope for its future".