As the Chinese 5 communications class wrapped up their unit on the ethnic minorities’ music in China, they had a chance to meet renowned traditional Chinese musician Ah Tong virtually from China on Oct. 20.
Tong, who plays the Morin Khurr—also known as a horsehead fiddle or Ma Tou Qin—showed off five distinct fiddles, and students listened to him play music on each one.
Each fiddle is typically composed of a wooden frame, a long neck, and two strings, capable of being played with a long bow, almost like a violin. Additionally, each fiddle has a unique wood carving of a horsehead, which is where it gets its name.
“Each different instrument has its own unique flavor,” said Lucas Tan ’26, a Chinese 5 Communications student. “You can really hear it when he plays each instrument.”
Most artists who are experts at playing the Morin Khurr have been playing the instrument for the majority of their lives. Tong, on the other hand, explained in Mandarin how he “started playing the horsehead fiddle at age 18,” describing how he often plays 4-5 hours per day when he has the opportunity.
Emma Wang ’26, another Chinese 5 Communications student, found his journey to mastery incredibly inspiring.
“It was really cool to learn that you don’t need to start from a really young age,” she said. “He broke that norm.”
For Lucas Yao ’28, what stuck out the most from the visit was the compelling story Tong told of how he once had comforted a depressed mother camel by playing music for her.
“I thought how he used beautiful melodies to bring joy to a sad camel mother was extremely impressive, “ said Yao. “Whether you are a person or a camel, Teacher Ah Tong’s music will bring peace to your heart!”
When asked by the students why he was so passionate about playing the horsehead fiddle, Ah Tong simply explained that playing music on these instruments felt like “touching nature.”
“Playing the morin khuur is like riding a horse; it allows me to connect with nature,” Tong said. “It can express the ‘flavor’ of different musical genres and cultures.”
