The incredible sound of a father and daughter’s Mongolian throat singing duet

2 October 2020, 11:50 | Updated: 2 October 2020, 12:43

Dad and daughter’s Mongolian throat singing duet. Picture: YouTube / Batzorig Vaanchig

By Sian Moore

In these strange times, this is exactly the kind of wholesome musical content we need.

Batzorig Vaanchig is an internationally adored and respected musician, and master of Mongolian throat singing.

And the latest video to appear on his YouTube channel, where he regular gets millions of views, is a gorgeous duet with his daughter.

Seated beside his little girl on the family sofa, Vaanchig plays the tovshuur, a Western Mongolian lute with two strings, as he treats her to some incredible Tuvan throat singing.

In the ancient style, practised by the people of Tuva, the singer sustains a low note and simultaneously sings higher notes over the top. It’s a kind of overtone singing, so special and beautiful that in 2009 it was inscribed on UNESCO’S Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Vaanchig’s daughter is all of us right now...

Dad and daughter perform adorable Mongolian throat singing duet — Batzorig Vaanchig makes music with his daughter. Picture: YouTube / Batzorig Vaanchig

Vaanchig is a music teacher and musician, who trained on the horse-head fiddle at the Institute of Culture, Ulaanbaatar.

He’s currently a member of Khusugtun, a band comprised of classically trained Mongolian folk musicians who take inspiration in their music from ancient Mongolian tradition.

The group blends historic throat singing melodies and traditional instruments with Western classical instruments.