Head to Xi'an now for the 11th China arts festival. This week the coveted Qun'xing awards will be presented to celebrate achievements in music, and while the nominations feature a selection from a wide range of different backgrounds and traditions in the country, all the artists share the same passion for creating sounds.

A total of 21 works from across China will be competing for the Qunxing Award in the music category.

A total of 21 works from across China will be competing for the Qunxing Award in the music category.

The artists come from all walks of life and they share a common interest in art. Their folk oriented performances are a reflection of their local traditions. 

"Our country has numerous folk arts, each has its own dialect and local features. Every performance has innovation to some extent and that is pretty good," said Shao Yi, participant.

"With this performance, we want to show the Shaanxi people's love for this land and their mother river known as the yellow river," said participant Sun Jing.

Established in 1991, the Qunxing Awards are authorized by China's Ministry of Culture. Since 2004, the presentations have been held every three years. There are seven categories: painting, calligraphy, photography, music, dance, drama and folk opera.