An Da Union folks up ECC

Kathrine Moser
Staff Writer
Mongolian musical group An Da Union filled ECC's Blizzard Theatre with the sounds of hoof beats and bird songs in a whimsical performance on February 7. At the start of An Da Union’s concert, Steve Duchrow, Director of Performing Arts, recited a poem.

“When I see my prairie grass in the vastness sway, I will see their faces dancing in the grass,” read Duchrow. “As horses gallop in my sun-filled pastures, I will hear the thunder and rain of their rhythm. When warm fingers brush my skin with summer wind, their music will pour over my face and through my hair.”

"Anda" is Mongolian for “good friends." An Da Union, formed in 2003, consists of fourteen artists who come from the Xilingol Grassland area of the Inner Mongolia region of China.

The musicians performing were Na Risu, Ao Tegenbayaer, Hao Sibayaer, Wu Rigen, Meng-Hejiya, Ba Ter, Qing Gele, Jin Yongming, Sai Hanniya, Qi Qigema, Bi Ligebater and Wen Li. All donned bright, colorful, hand-stitched costumes from their homeland, and displayed joyful expressions, desiring nothing other than giving a spectacular performance. The group's humble persona shone through as they performed.

The music of An Da Union, influenced by traditional Mongolian nomadic culture, is original, haunting, beautiful and ancient. They employed traditional instruments for their folk music such as the horse head fiddle or tsur, an ancient bowed instrument. They also played a maodun chaoer, a three-holed flute, as well as a dulcimer, zither, lute and mouth harp.

Khoomii, commonly referred to as throat singing, which replicates the sounds of nature, was the main singing style of the An Da Union vocalists.

Blizzard Theatre was the only formal theatre in all of Illinois offered the privilege of an An Da Union performance, according to Duchrow. This was due to Duchrow’s 23-year relationship with Arts Midwest, which represents nine states, Illinois among them.

During the week, An Da Union also performed free concerts at the Gail Borden Library and Sherman Hospital without any advance publicity.

Marc Healy, Professor of Anthropology and Human Geography at ECC, said it was thrilling to see two cultures come together with such positive results.

“While I was enthralled at the performance, I was genuinely moved at what happened in the lobby afterwards,” said Healy. “People were taking pictures of the musicians, and the musicians were taking pictures of the people, as if to say ‘Wait until the folks back in Inner Mongolia see this!’”

Though they cannot understand English, the musicians of An Da Union nevertheless connect with their audience via a bridge of timeless music.