Instrument steeped in history stirs modern audiences

Ensuring a legacy

Beyond enthralling audiences, the orchestra remains steadfast in its mission to promote and popularize the instrument.

Altang Huyage, a morin khuur player and orchestra member, highlights the efforts to popularize the instrument among the locals, which began even before the orchestra's official inception, involving training programs for farmers and herdsmen in Uxin Banner.

Before joining the orchestra, Altang Huyage dedicated himself to teaching morin khuur to locals in Ordos city's Dongsheng district, imbuing the instrument with newfound vitality within the region, particularly among the youth.

Similarly driven by a passion for preserving Mongolian musical heritage, Khetsuumanlai, a 34-year-old native of Hailaar, Hulunbuir, ventured to Beijing in 2014 to initiate a morin khuur training program. Expanding the program to online platforms in 2018, Khetsuumanlai now boasts over 6,000 students worldwide, spanning diverse age groups.

"People are drawn not only to the melodic allure of the morin khuur but also to its expressive capacity, capable of evoking the vast expanses of the grasslands and the solitary existence of herdsmen," remarks Khetsuumanlai.

He says the instrument's burgeoning appeal, particularly among the younger generation, spurred by the influence of Inner Mongolian rock bands like Hanggai, which prominently feature the morin khuur in their compositions.

Last year, the establishment of a morin khuur inheritance base in Hohhot, spearheaded by the Inner Mongolia Academy of National Culture and Art, saw Khetsuumanlai assuming the role of director.

With an array of programs planned, including youth bands, performance competitions and livestreaming events, the base aims to cultivate a new generation of morin khuur enthusiasts.

"With this base, we will focus on training young people of the Mongolian ethnic group to play the morin khuur," says the director.

"For them, it is not simply about mastering a musical instrument but a way of honoring their heritage and preserving a tradition that has been passed down through generations. Through their dedication and passion, these young musicians are ensuring that the spirit of Mongolia's nomadic ancestors lives on in the music they create."