Yale singers meet Dong folk chorus in Guizhou village

Yale University's a cappella group, The Whiffenpoofs, recently joined the Dong ethnic community in southwestern China to share and explore each other's musical traditions.

In Zhaoxing Dong village, Guizhou province, the Broadway classic Anything Goes echoed through the air and was met by the region's traditional unaccompanied polyphonic folk singing, known as Grand Song.

The two groups sang Jasmine Flower and Downby the Salley Gardens beneath the village drum tower, a central gathering place for the Dong people.

Known for their strong musical heritage, the Dong have long passed down wisdom and daily experience through song, in part because the community historically had no written language.

"I've been singing almost my whole life, since I was a small child," choir member Lucas Oland said. "Even if I wasn't able to understand too much of what they were saying, the language and the music really resonated with all of us. We were able to see how talented these people are, and we are so lucky to be greeted by such a great performance."