My father, Cao Peng, is a renowned conductor who grew up and developed as a person coinciding with the development of our home country.

"As long as I am able to move, you should have me working (on the stage)," says Cao Peng, a top-level, symphony-orchestra conductor who was born in 1925 in Jiangyin, a city in East China's Jiangsu Province. Cao and his family are dedicated to promoting music to the public, especially to children. An education fund, bearing Cao's name, has been established to provide help and support to children suffering from autism.

In 2005, my father led our family in establishing China's first non-professional symphony orchestra, in the municipality of Shanghai, with the aim of promoting music to the public.

Since 2008, my father has led our family in exploring various methods of using music therapy to comfort autistic children.

Young volunteers have joined our efforts to help autistic children.

Given years of hard work, my father has taught those children to play musical instruments. Some of the children are able to stay quiet while they enjoy listening to a concert.

My father rearranges music scores and guides autistic children during a rehearsal.

Music expands the children's horizons. They form an orchestra and give performances on stage.

My father in 2017 received the title of "lifelong loving ambassador of Chinese Autistic Children's Fund of Care." The title was presented by China Children and Teenagers' Fund.

We think of disadvantaged groups and we provide social services. Our family hopes to pass love and care to more and more people.

(Women of China English Monthly June 2021 issue)