Ch. Gereltuya, a violinist who lives in Chicago: When B. Sharav’s “Sound of the Soul” was played in America, the grandmothers and grandfathers there cried

Ch. Gereltuya, a violinist who lives in Chicago, USA, recently performed a Mongolian musical composition online in collaboration with musicians from Malaysia, America, and Peru against discrimination against Asians due to the Covid-19 infection. Since those videos were posted on social media, they have reached many people, including Mongolian people living abroad.

– You played famous Mongolian compositions together with foreign musicians. Please introduce the musicians you played with? How did they react to playing Mongolian music?

– The musicians who played “Uul Gorhi” and “Uran Khas” together are our friends. As for Esme Wong, we both studied together at the United World College in Italy. On the 14th, the musicians from America and Peru who played “Uran Khas” together are my friends who studied with me at the Boston Conservatory and were in the same group. In 2017, I persuaded them to perform only Mongolian compositions in America. At that time, my comrades were very encouraging and gladly accepted. Therefore, all the musicians who played “Uran Khas” together are musicians who have played Mongolian tunes before and have fallen in love with Mongolian compositions.

– What comments did you get after your joint concert was posted on social media? Did you achieve your goal of spreading positivity?

– I didn’t think people would accept it like that. Mongolian people from all over the world wrote to me in chat and sent me a lot of comments like, “It’s really nice to promote Mongolian music to the world.” There was not a single insult or negative comment. It was very well received.
– As for the musicians, before they all gathered in the same hall and played with each other, but what was it like to play remotely and online this time?

– It was more difficult because everyone recorded separately and then put it together instead of playing by seeing and feeling each other. But because these compositions are in my flesh and blood, I always hear how my other musicians are playing. So it wasn’t too difficult for me. But the others said they had a little difficulty. Some people said that it was difficult to play without knowing what the main tune was.

– As a person who has played many compositions with musicians from many countries, what do you think is special about Mongolian compositions?

– It seems that Mongolian writing can be easily understood by people of any country and nationality. When I was performing in America with my band members only using Mongolian music, when I played B. Sharav’s “Sound of the Soul”, the American grandparents who were there cried. Therefore, Mongolian music is very exciting and easy to understand for anyone who listens to it.

– In general, what is the characteristic of the violin that distinguishes it from other musical instruments, and what is its role in playing in combination with other instruments?

– The violin plays the main role in the orchestra as well as in the ensemble. As for the violin, we are artists and artists, so we can distinguish ourselves from other musicians who may have their own unique language and ideas. But if you think that you have chosen to play one of Mozart’s tunes, there are thousands of violinists all over the world who will play it. But the notes are exactly the same, there is only one note. So each violinist has to come up with his own ideas to play that piece differently. In my opinion, the violin is the easiest music to express that idea. Because with the bow, you can make many kinds of colors and nuances, such as intensifying, softening, softening.

But for example, it is difficult to play one note on the piano with many colors like the violin. So the violin feels like a human voice.

Secondly, I think that the violin is a universal instrument that can be played with any music. There is no music without a violin.

-Which requires more natural talent or effort to learn to play the violin?

– When I was in Mongolia, I had a different opinion than now. For example, at the College of Music and Dance, after two or three days of selection, children are screened and transferred. That is to know if he has natural hearing and natural talent. So at that time, I thought that only people with natural talent could play music well.

But now it’s different. Talent can be created by humans. Everyone is talented, especially in music. The main thing is work. No matter how talented you are, a lazy person will never improve.