Objectives:
-To safeguard and develop this tsuur music art especially in Altaic Urianhai tribe and then to spread to other community and regions.
-To stabilize tsuur music training method/system and supply the follow ups
-To restore method of tsuur music playing, repertory of tsuur music and traditional culture of tsuur music and tsuur related traditions and customs.
-To increase the community and society’s involvement in recovering tsuur music art and create the social environment which supports tsuur players and the tsuur music art.
Results:
- Mongolian tsuur music tradition has restored and certain improvements appeared in the ways of protecting, developing, teaching, studying, researching, disseminating and sustaining the tradition.
-Community and its people’s understanding and awareness improved about tsuur music tradition and its social value has increased dramatically.
- Mongolian tsuur survived the risk of vanishing and good foundation established for tsuur music art to still be an important part of traditional musical instrument and Mongolian traditional intangible cultural heritage.

2009-2014 Mongolian Government has implemented successfully a several projects of the "Traditional music of the Tsuur” in the objectives to safeguard, develop, transmit the element to the next generation by training and apprenticeship, emphasize and support the “Tsuur” bearers. During the implementation of these projects relevant state and non-state parties, communities, practitioners have been involved actively and contributed an important role.
Activities
A: Field study and inventorying
- A field survey were undertaken to focus on the current state of Tsuur, its repertoire and associated customs and rituals
B: Safeguarding and Transmission
- The trainings of transmission of the Mongolian ‘Tsuur’ have conducted in Duut and Jargalant soum in Hovd province, Buyant, Ulgii and Ulaanhus sum in Bayan-Ulgii province, Sumber soum of Gobisumber province, Orkhon province and in the capital city between 2009 and 2012. The people who conducted the training were N.Buyandelger, son of famous ‘Tsuur’ player P.Narantsogt, B.Naranbat, the grandson, their relative B.Tseden-Ish, his student N.Sengedorj, N.Damdindorj, kazakh ‘Tsuur’ player A.Enbek and they used traditional apprenticeship training and classroom training methods. There are around 100 teenagers and young adults in nationwide who have learnt or leaning how to play this instrument as a result of these trainings. ‘Tsuur’ music apprenticeship training not only helps students to learn the method to play the ‘Tsuur’ instrument, but also requires students to know how to create ‘Tsuur’ instrument by themselves and gives them practical ‘Tsuur’ making experience.
- “Hunnu Tsuur Union” NGO and “Egshiglen Magnai” music instrument factory started to produce ‘Tsuur’ in a large amount and supplying the growing demand of ‘Tsuur’ music players and learners.
- UNESCO referred the Living Human Treasure program to its member countries. As a beginning of that program in the country, the national list “Talented people who inherited intangible Cultural heritage in high level” has approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in 2010 as their 546th order. The following 5 bearers; N.Buyandelger, B.Naranbat, N.Sengedorj, A.Enbek and A.Baldandorj have registered in that list as a ‘Tsuur’ bearers and it confirms that the heritage can survive and able to develop. The united budget funded these 5 people by 16 200 000 MNT to do apprenticeship program trainings and following supports were given to them.
- The work of making ‘Tsuur’ instrument as a major in professional art university has started in order to stabilize ‘Tsuur’ reputation in a family of Mongolian Traditional musical instruments. For this reason Cultural Heritage Center, Culture and Art University and Ulaanbaatar’s Music and Dance collage signed on cooperation agreement and started to work all together to supply with training materials and instruments, to plan syllabus and to acknowledge the training methods to the teachers who will teach.
- The Cultural Heritage Center published “Mongolian tsuur” DVD lesson and study books for ‘Tsuur’ music trainings. These training facilities were highly demanded among trainers, teacher, ‘Tsuur’ art bearers, music schools and professional art organizations and artists. It also became fruitful study materials to learn general ‘Tsuur’ music methods and traditional methods, to teach and disseminate.
C: Awareness raising, dissemination and promotion
- A book “Mongolian most rare traditional Intangible cultural Heritages” and “Mongolian Traditional Intangible cultural Heritages” published in Mongolian and English language for the dissemination work of traditional ‘Tsuur’ music in local and foreign countries. These books included ‘Tsuur’ instruments and its players photos, introductions and dissemination and research compositions.
- Many speeches related to Mongolian ‘Tsuur’ have presented in Science and Research meetings about the study of traditional art and culture in the country. Also similar speeches presented in “The V Grassland Culture Forum.2009” in Inner Mongolia of China, “Sounds of EURASIA” in Buriad’s Ulan-Ude in Russian Federation and in VII Congress-Festival.
- In 2013, we have organized a conference on "Tsuur music's actual situation and its difficulties" in Ulaanbaatar to discuss pertaining its future protection, development, art of ‘Tsuur’ making and related customs.
- Traditional Art Festival 2011, Oirad’s Art and Culture “Ikh Hogsuu” festival and “Altan Huree” Uriannhai’s yearly art, culture and sport festival which conducted by Urianhai’s History and Culture supporting Union all had bagpipe playing competitions. Many participants participated in these competitions and they were good encouragement to improve the abilities of the ‘Tsuur’ music players and increased their repertories.
- Mongolian National Broadcaster made television program “Golden Heritage” about Urianhai Tsuur music and its player,
- Eagle television made “Tsuur Heritage”, Ekh Oron television made “Urianhai tsuur tradition” and Mongolian National Radio made “Melody of the tsuur music”. All of these programs were good dissemination in the society. These television and radio dissemination programs were made during the report duration and together with previous art works they had big influence on recovering, supporting and creating good environment for ‘Tsuur’ music art development.
- The previous art works are: “Shuudriin Dusal” tele-program, “Hunnu’s wooden tsuur instrument” and “Melody of tsuur music” documentary movies and “Echo of Mountains and Waters” audio CD.

The safeguarding measures were elaborated with full participation of the ICH bearers, concerned representatives of relevant NGOs, and their opinions and recommendations were freely been reflected in the projects.
The main activities under this project for safeguarding the epic, conducting research, advertising and transmitting to the younger generation were implemented with full participation of the Tsuur performers and associations established by themselves. These are:
- The relative and offspring of Uriankhai’s Tsagaan Tug clan’s famous tsuur music player Paarai Narantsogt and their students established a community concerned group. This group became the main supporting center to transmit and develop Mongolian tsuur music art and its traditional repertory. This Altaic Urianhai’s tsuur tradition has transmitted well in Paarai Narantsogt’s family who are from the Tsagaan Tug clan of Hovd province’s Duut soum. They are P.Narantsogt’s sons: N.Buyandelger, N.Erdenebaatar, grandsons: B.Naranbat, B.Zagdjav, M.Sukhnasan, B.Nekhjargal, T.Erdenebaatar, B.Munguntsooj, granddaughters: B.Bayartsetseg,B.Battsooj, B.Munkhchimeg, students: N.Sengedorj, Damdinjav, A.Baldandorj and E.Baatarjav. These people are the sole bearers and protecting Mongolian tsuur music's tradition. Also they took the responsibility to develop the tsuur music art with honor and working hard within their strength. “Tsagaan Tug” clan’s tsuur music players are the most active participants to promote it in the society. They have done many disseminations works through art stages, televisions and radios.
- “Hunnu tsuur players’ Union” has been an important part of protecting tsuur music repertory, transmitting, developing and disseminating works. This union consists of the active members of the clan, traditional musical instrument researchers and cultural pioneers.
- Music teacher G.Nyamjantsan, from the music and dance college and music teacher N.Sanjaadorj, from State University of Arts and Culture have included the traditional tsuur music in their educational programs.
- The Cultural Heritage Center published “Mongolian tsuur” DVD lesson and study books for ‘Tsuur’ music trainings. These training facilities were highly demanded among trainers, teacher, ‘Tsuur’ art bearers, music schools and professional art organizations and artists. It also became fruitful study materials to learn general ‘Tsuur’ music methods and traditional methods, to teach and disseminate.
- A book “Mongolian most rare traditional Intangible cultural Heritages” and “Mongolian Traditional Intangible cultural Heritages” published in Mongolian and English language for the dissemination work of traditional ‘Tsuur’ music in local and foreign countries. These books included ‘Tsuur’ instruments and its players photos, introductions and dissemination and research compositions.
- Many speeches related to Mongolian ‘Tsuur’ have presented in Science and Research meetings about the study of traditional art and culture in the country. Also similar speeches presented in “The V Grassland Culture Forum.2009” in Inner Mongolia of China, “Sounds of EURASIA” in Buriad’s Ulan-Ude in Russian Federation and in VII Congress-Festival.
-Traditional Art Festival 2011, Oirad’s Art and Culture “Ikh Hogsuu” festival and “Altan Huree” Uriannhai’s yearly art, culture and sport festival which conducted by Urianhai’s History and Culture supporting Union all had bagpipe playing competitions. Many participants participated in these competitions and they were good encouragement to improve the abilities of the ‘Tsuur’ music players and increased their repertories.

Name of activity - Implementing body – Timeline - Fund(USD)
1. To hold “Ceremony to take Certificate of the Traditional music of the Tsuur” and photo exhibition, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, NatCom, Center for Cultural Heritage,
“Hunnu Tsuur players’ Union” - 2010; USD 1.500
2. To organize Western region Workshop (apprenticeship and classroom trainings), Center for Cultural Heritage, “Hunnu Tsuur players’ Union” - 2010-2012 ; USD 4.000
3. To organize Central region Workshop (apprenticeship and classroom trainings), Center for Cultural Heritage, “Hunnu Tsuur players’ Union” - 2010-2012 ; USD 4.000
4. The work of making ‘Tsuur’ instrument as an optional major in Professional Art University; Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Cultural Heritage Center, Culture and Art University and Ulaanbaatar’s Music and Dance collage – 2012; USD 6.000
5. Creation of a registration-information database at local and national level, Center for Cultural Heritage, Local Government Administrations - 2009-2011; USD 4.500
6. To publish DVD lessons, study books for Tsuur music trainings; Center for Cultural Heritage, “Tsagaan Tug” clan’s Tsuur players - 2010-2011; USD 6.500
7.To produce a serial documentaries and media production on the customs and rituals related to the Tsuur aims to further raise the awareness; Center for Cultural Heritage, “Tsagaan Tug” clan’s Tsuur players, “Hunnu Tsuur players’ Union” - 2010-2012; USD 9.500
8. To conduct scientific meeting on the “Traditional music of the Tsuur”: Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, NatCom, Center for Cultural Heritage – 2011; USD5.000
9. To deepen the study and researches on the “Traditional music of the Tsuur”: Center for Cultural Heritage, “Hunnu Tsuur players’ Union” - 2010-2014; USD 4.800
TOTAL USD45.800

Tsuur music’s ability to coexistance improved in the result of the series of tsuur music safeguarding activities which are mentioned above. We accomplished to restore the traditional Mongolian tsuur music which includes tradition of playing the tsuur, developing, training, studing, promoting, and providing in sustainable framework.
The main result was historical dark period which tried to neglect the traditional culture and religion. It treated traditional art and culture as a part of old time and it was government plan to get rid of tradition and art of people.
In order to identify the ‘Tsuur’ music bearers, register them, study, disseminate and transmit to the next generations Mongolian tsuur music tradition has restored and certain improvements appeared in the ways of protecting, developing, teaching, studying, researching, disseminating and sustaining the tradition. Community and its people’s understanding and awareness improved about tsuur music tradition and its social value has increased dramatically.
Mongolian tsuur survived the risk of vanishing and good foundation established for tsuur music art to still be an important part of traditional musical instrument and Mongolian traditional intangible cultural heritage.
We are working on to combine traditional "apprenticeship training" method with modern teaching principles and need to find effective teaching structure for formal and informal training systems in order to inherit the bagpipe to the next generations. Art of tsuur has spread well and developed out from Altai Mountain and Uriankhai tribe`s area and number of tsuur players has increased. Also it is not sufficient to focus on increasing the number of players who know how to make a sound of tsuur in order to safeguarding the Mongolian traditional tsuur music.
But we didn’t have not enough budget to accomplish the activities that we planned. We need to develop good legal and financial environment in order to guarantee the life of bearers and the need of setting good motivation system.
We couldn’t accpomlish the following two plans: Organizing Mongolian traditional Tsuur music Festival and Reporting Performance of the tsuur music trainings. So we postponed to accomplish them in 2014. Also we don’t have enough human resource to conduct all the trainings. Recovering the tradition of wooden tsuur requires long time and effort. Because playing tsuur demands dual action of vocal cords and extraordinary technique. Therefore not everybody learns playing tsuur as well as they need rehearsals with teacher`s instruction and hard studying.
The art of playing Mongolian tsuur is a wide concept which requires to acquire the richest repertory imagination`s developed by bearers to heirs of generations. Currently there are around 40 folk pieces of Mongol Altaic Uriankhai tribe`s inherited repertory notified they represent nature, mountains, water draws, animal sound, relationship between humankind and nature, human feelings. Those tunes transmitted by hearing and memory through generations instead of music notes, which means it is in a danger of vanishing with the players who practice.
As time goes by the traditional tsuur is coming closer to the edge of vanishing and we insure that the safeguarding work of transmission to the next generation, studying and spreading will continue sustainably.