Tacheng City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China - August 2026 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of performers beating drum
2. Various of accordion performance; residents applauding, dancing
3. Various of Lev Solomonovich, accordionist from Moldova, performing; residents dancing
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Lev Solomonovich, accordionist from Moldova (starting with shot 3/ending with shot 5):
"[At most of the] concerts, I play and the people only listen, but here it was like something together with people. Yes, dancing together, yes, I want to dance with them."
5. Residents dancing
6. Various of Solomonovich, fellow musician performing
7. SOUNDBITE (Chinese, dubbed with English) Orzu Nurulloeva, teacher, Gnesin Russian Academy of Music:
"So many ethnic groups here: Kazakh, Uzbek, and others. I've heard so many different kinds of music today. It's been really interesting."
8. Various of balcony show; audience
9. SOUNDBITE (Chinese, dubbed with English) visitor (name not given) (starting with shot 8):
"It makes you really want to get up, dance and join in. The music and the accordion really get you going."
10. Audience waving flags to music
11. SOUNDBITE (Chinese, dubbed with English) visitor (name not given) (starting with shot 10):
"You can really feel the warmth of the people here."
12. Various of balcony show; audience
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Alexander Selivanov, chairman, Music Committee of Confederation Internationale des Accordeonistes (CIA):
"I can say that I never expected to have an accordion event at such a level, because we know accordion is everywhere, and in every country it's more or less popular. Many amateurs and some professionals are playing accordion. But here it's like -- I don't know -- Olympic Games for accordion."
14. Various of accordion performance; balcony show; audience

The rich sound of accordion music filled the open air and inspired spontaneous dancing in the public squares of Tacheng, Xinjiang this summer, as the city hosted the 6th Xinjiang Tacheng International Accordion Art and Culture Festival.

Tacheng, just kilometers from the border with Kazakhstan, was an important stop on the northern branch of the ancient Silk Road. Today, the city continues to foster cultural exchange through vibrant events like this festival, which brought international performers and local musicians together in "Melody Market" pop-up shows.

Performances ranged from lively solos inspired by Horse Racing to the familiar Katyusha, played by renowned local accordionists, drawing people from different ethnic groups together to dance to the same tune.

"[At most of the] concerts, I play and the people only listen, but here it was like something together with people. Yes, dancing together, yes, I want to dance with them," said Lev Solomonovich, an accordionist from Moldova.

Following his scheduled performance, Solomonovich started an impromptu playing session with fellow musicians. The diversity among the accordionists, both in their origins and their musical styles, was a major draw for visitors.

"So many ethnic groups here: Kazakh, Uzbek, and others. I've heard so many different kinds of music today. It's been really interesting," said Orzu Nurulloeva, a teacher at the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music.

The festival took music beyond the concert stage, turning balconies into stages as night falls. With no stage separating musicians and audiences, everyone became part of the performance, making the entire area into a living, breathing dance party.

"It makes you really want to get up, dance and join in. The music and the accordion really get you going," said a visitor.

"You can really feel the warmth of the people here," said another visitor.

From the Melody Market to the balcony shows, the accordion weaved itself into daily life in Tacheng throughout the festival.

"I can say that I never expected to have an accordion event at such a level, because we know accordion is everywhere, and in every country it's more or less popular. Many amateurs and some professionals are playing accordion. But here it's like -- I don't know -- Olympic Games for accordion," said Alexander Selivanov, chairman of the Music Committee of the Confederation Internationale des Accordeonistes (CIA).

Known locally as China's "Accordion City," Tacheng has integrated the instrument deeply into its cultural fabric, bringing residents, visitors, and performers together through a shared language of music.