More than 500 candidates from Pingtan county, Fujian province, attended an arts exam held by the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) on July 24.

The candidates were tested in multiple subjects including piano, violin and erhu (a two-stringed bowed instrument).

Most of the candidates were students from Pingtan's middle schools and primary schools, according to the co-organizer of the exam, adding that the quality of Pingtan's music candidates has continued to improve.

The CCOM teachers, besides grading performances, will give suggestions based on each student's respective characteristics, the co-organizer said.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Micheal Thai