Show and Tell
Dear Parents,
Welcome to Show and Tell at the Center for the Performing Arts! These questions are prompts for you to talk with your child about their experience at the October 25th school-time matinee performance of AnDa Union. For more ideas you can also go to the teacher resource materials found in Curriculum Connections, Bonus Features, and Explore More.
If you would like to see your child’s school have the opportunity to go to more school-time matinees, we invite you to visit Field Trip Funding for suggestions for approaching funders, administrators, teachers and other parents.
If you would also like to come to see a Center for the Performing Arts performance please visit www.cpa.psu.edu to find out about our current season including tickets, read features such as why family members and teachers stress benefits of exposing children to the performing arts.
Now, let’s show and tell!
Who are AnDa Union?
AnDa Union are a group of musicians from Mongolia who formed a band in 2003. Many of them come from musical families and are part of a strong Mongolian musical tradition that is passed from generation to generation. AnDa Union describe themselves as music gatherers, digging deep into traditional nomadic culture of Inner Mongolia, from all the Mongol tribes that Genghis Khan unified, and unearthing forgotten music. They draw inspiration in old and forgotten songs. Hadanbataar, their drummer, says, ”Young Mongolians like us now understand how important our culture is but maybe the next generation won’t care and we have to prevent this from happening.”
What instruments does the band AnDa Union play?
The band’s instruments include the morin khuur (horse head fiddle), the maodun chaoer (three-holed flute), and Mongolian versions of the lute and mouth harp. The morin khuur is the Mongolian nation’s principal instrument. Many households have one hanging in their doorway. The instrument pays homage to the most important animal in the Mongol culture, the horse. Mor(in) means horse. When Mongolians were entirely a nomadic nation, when they moved from one place to another rather than settling permanently in one location, and the horse was a main means of transport. Many songs and poems were written praising the horse.
True or false: The morin khuur is made out of real horses.
Answer: yes and no!
A carved wooden head of a horse is placed on top of the nation's principal musical instrument. Real hair from the horse’s tail is used for the two strings and for the bow.
Why does their singing sound so different?
AnDa Union are also accomplished singers, moving fluently from hoomai, the guttural throat song, to the clear long notes of urtinduu, long-song.
What do the musicians wear?
AnDa Union dresses in traditional clothing for their performances. They are on a mission to stimulate their culture and reengage young Mongols, many of who have forgotten how to speak their own language and forgotten about their music. The Deel or long textile gown forms the basis of almost all Mongolian clothes. Besides being a main cloth, it can serve as a blanket, or tent. Deel protects against cold and winds. If necessary, its long sleeves are rolled down to serve as gloves. A wide sash, made of several meters long textile, serves as a corset protecting against severe shaking during a fast horse ride. It also serves as a hanger to which a knife, firestone, cup and other accessories can be attached. A pocket formed by deel above the sash, makes an ideal place for keeping small items. In the nomadic culture, special attention was given to the quality of clothes and its tidiness since a missing button, undone seam or loose knot could have cost one's life during a sudden snow storm or fast horse ride.
Did their music remind you of any music you’ve heard before?
What was your favorite part of the performance?
Please share your answers with Amy Dupain Vashaw, audience and program director at the Center for the Performing Arts.
Where does the band AnDa Union live?
They live in Inner Mongolia, which is now part of China. On this map it is the green area.
Steppes are large grass covered plains. The steppes of Inner Mongolia and the Gobi Desert have some of the most special wildlife in the world, like the only bear that lives in the desert, the Gobi Bear. http://www.oneearthadventures.com/gobi/wildlife/wildlife.htm.
Did they always have horses in Mongolia?
Read about Penn State Associate Professor Kateryna Makova researches wild horses in Mongolia http://live.psu.edu/story/54919
Do people still explore Mongolia?
Follow along with the American Museum of Natural History expedition to Mongolia’s Gobi Desert
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/expeditions/gobi/history.html
Can I explore Mongolia too?
Join the Valley of the Khans Project: Technology enabled exploration
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/field/projects/valley-khans-project/?source=A-to-Z