In tune with their talent

Unfortunately, one of their shows, which was supposed to be staged at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Aug 12, was canceled due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases.

"These kinds of public performances make the children confident and appreciate their own culture. They also share a bond with the people listening. It also helps to build up a high reputation for the choir, which attracts more children to join," she says, adding that the songs the choir performs are mostly Mongolian folk songs, such as Beautiful Grassland My Home, Father's Grassland and Mother's River, Four Seas and The Hanggal Concerto.

In 2012, the choir won the top prize at the China International Chorus Festival, propelling it to overnight fame. In 2013, it achieved gold medals in the mixed chorus and folk music categories at the European Choir Games, which was held in Graz, Austria.

One of the biggest reasons why Yalungerile is so devoted to the choir is that she wants children to benefit from learning music, just as she did.

Born and raised in Zalantun, Hulunbuir city in Inner Mongolia, Yalungerile loved to sing and dance as a child. Her hobby was noticed and supported by her parents.

At 12, she was admitted to the Inner Mongolia Arts School and worked as a member of Ulan Muqir upon graduation. Translated as "red bud troupe", Ulan Muqir is the Mongolian name for troupes that travel from one site to another, performing for herdsmen who live in some of China's most remote areas.

At 16, she was enrolled to study conducting at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1981. As the only girl in the class, Yalungerile recalls that she had to work extra hard to keep up with other students. In 1995, she furthered her study as a conductor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, trained by conductors Yan Liangkun (1923-2017) and Wu Lingfen, now the director of China NCPA Chorus.

Yan once called Yalungerile "a sculptor of vocal music".

Wu speaks highly of Yalungerile's devotion in popularizing Mongolian folk music with her efforts to train child singers.

Now, teaching as a professor at the conducting department of China Conservatory of Music, Yalungerile travels between Beijing and Hohhot often.