Gradually, the ensemble became better-known. By hosting their own "Star Concert", the members stepped onto a bigger stage.

The first "Star Concert" was held at the music hall of the Futian District Culture Center in Shenzhen. The venue, with a capacity of 300 people, received bookings from over 700.

Those with the condition, often called "children of the stars", finally got to shine on stage in front of hundreds.

The Aite ensemble started to use donations to run public music courses for people with autistic spectrum disorders in Shenzhen, allowing them to make valuable connections.

In 2018, Xiaodai, at the age of 13, took part in public keyboard lessons hosted by the Aite ensemble. "Xiaodai was an early beginner at the piano at that time but had been learning wind instruments, so the teacher let us try it out," his mother says.

This attempt made him one of the key members of the ensemble.

Once Xiaodai could only play the ocarina solo in front of his mother, but now he can play skillfully with his friends as a team.

Although he is shy at expressing himself verbally, he is brave enough to stand on every stage at every performance, said Xiaodai's mother.

Expanding from one to 12 members, the Aite ensemble has undergone a difficult yet impressive 10-year journey. The voices of the "children of the stars" are heard by more people now.

"We have performed more than 100 times so far. The audience can feel that we are making progress," says Sun. "Parents of autistic children from other places have come to Shenzhen to learn our model, hoping that music will connect their children with the world."

Xinhua