Armenian violinist Astrid Poghosyan has redefined the meaning of belonging over the past 16 years in Shanghai. Arriving as a music student in 2009, she now composes cultural symphonies that root Armenian folk music in China while intertwining “Butterfly Lovers” with Eurasian dialogues.

In 2023, she was crowned Shanghai's youngest-ever recipient of the Magnolia Memorial Award, recognized as a "cultural bridge-builder" who transforms concert halls into vibrant melting pots, where echoes of the Caucasus Mountains meet the currents of the Yangtze River. Astrid says that choosing China was one of the most pivotal decisions of her life.