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This Chinese opera singer used her majestic voice to help Burnaby Hospital

Jasmine Wang has been performing Chinese opera and folk songs since she was just five years old.
Jasmine Wang
Jasmine Wang has been performing Chinese opera and folk songs since she was just five years old. Photo Contributed/Burnaby Hospital

Jasmine Wang has been performing Chinese opera and folk songs since she was just five years old.

The Kwantlen Polytechnic University student, now 19, immigrated to Canada with her mother five years ago from China, and this past month had her first solo concert –filling the James Cowan theatre at Burnaby’s Shadbolt Centre for the Performing Arts.

jasmine wang singer
Jasmine Wang performing on Sunday at Burnaby's Shadbolt theatre. Photo contributed/Burnaby Hospital

Despite being a relatively new Canadian, Wang already exhibits a more than admirable sense of community spirit and a desire to give back. She decided Sunday’s concert would be in support of Burnaby Hospital Foundation and raised $2,500 in walk-up donations, with pledges for up to $9,000 more.

“I’d like to use my music to bring joy and happiness to others and at the same time, raise funds for the foundation,” said Wang. “Having my first solo concert as a charity event is very meaningful for me. Canada is such a great country with people from different backgrounds gathering together to build such a unique and beautiful community. Canadian people are generous, friendly, loving and caring. They always want to help others. I have been very impressed with this since I came here, and I wanted to do something to help others. I believe I can use my music to give back to people and community.”

Wang chose to support Burnaby Hospital Foundation based on a recommendation from her aunt, Karen Wang, a long-time Burnaby resident. Recognizing the importance of the hospital for local, community-based health care, she wants to encourage others to join her in supporting redevelopment of the aging facility.