Ancient Dong songs meet Yale harmonies in Guizhou

On March 23, the Yale Whiffenpoofs A Cappella Choir arrived in Zhaoxing Dong Village, Liping, Guizhou, for a cultural exchange event. During a special performance, they joined a local village choir to perform the traditional Czech folk song Aj Lučka, Lučka Široká (Oh, the Wide, Wide Field).

The song was presented as a collaboration between two distinct musical traditions. One is the Dong Grand Song, known as "the oldest form of a cappella in the East." Passed down for over a thousand years in Guizhou, this unaccompanied, multi-part folk singing mimics the sounds of cicadas and flowing streams, carrying the history and culture of the Dong people. The other is the Yale Whiffenpoofs, a century-old a cappella group that uses unaccompanied harmony to foster understanding and respect across cultures. Together, they brought these two traditions to life in a shared performance.

This musical dialogue across the Pacific marked a special moment – it was part of the Whiffenpoofs' 40th anniversary tour in China. More than a performance, it served as a vibrant example of how young people from China and the United States can connect through music and promote cross-cultural exchange.