"When I was young, my dream was to be a performer. I thought that’s a very beautiful, radiant occupation and everyone likes a performer. Since I have experienced the glory of being a singer on the stage, I’m very satisfied. As the old saying goes, “a contented mind is a perpetual feast.” As a teacher, I have new goals. I want to help others. There are many aspiring singers in need of my help. I want to help them. Many students find no opportunities to improve their abilities. So I decided to devote myself to the research of textbooks. I planned to write a series of textbooks customized for Tibetan students.” Tsering Yungdrup told us.

Tsering Yungdrup was not unwilling at all to be a teacher other than a performer. In her eyes, cultivating talents, especially Tibetan music talents, is more important and meaningful than receiving acclaims and applauses on the stage.

Furthermore, in her free time, she has been invited to attend the National Workshop for Ethnic Vocality for many times, and published many papers including An Exploration of Ethnic Vocality Teaching, The Development and Promotion of Tibetan Vocality, Reflection on Ethnic Singing Language as well as a monograph titled Brief Review on the Psychology of Singing Training. She has also written textbooks of Tibetan vocal music including vocal exercise, vocalization and songs.

And after teaching, she has become more fond of teaching.

In 1979, she was sent to Shanghai Conservatory of Music to learn from Tseten Dolma and Wang Pinsu. Her original intention was to learn his method of teaching Tibetan students. Later, she came back and she selected many excerpts of Tibetan folk songs.

She replaced scale study with folk songs.

She didn’t teach “do re mi mi mi ma ma ma.” Tsering Yungdrup used Tibetan folk songs. They were very good textbooks. And she also employed short vocalizations.

“Qie rang yo zang qu pa ka a la o zang qu ci ka.”

This is one of ancient Tibetan songs. It’s very helpful for vocal exercise. With such scientific vocal exercise method, Tibetan students learned very easily. They were familiar with those melodies. Those lyrics were also in Tibetan.

With her help, a lot of students have become singing talents. After graduation, they sing Tibetan-style songs across the country. But Tsering Yungdrup, in her late 70s, doesn’t stop to rest. After retirement, she is realizing another dream of hers.

Primary Review on the Aesthetics of Tibetan Vocal Music Art is the book she is preparing to publish. There are so many Tibetan folk songs. Lyrics, languages, music, singings and dances are all beautiful. As to song and dance, there are different rhythms of Tibetan opera, Duixie, Langma and folk songs.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau boasts very good environment. So, from an aesthetic point of view, she makes evaluation on Tibetan vocal music art to comprehend and study aesthetic standard, taste and value of Tibetan vocal music art. They are actually Tibetans’ value of existence. It’s one of her research projects and maybe my last wish.

During the interview, Prof. Tsering Yungdrup was full of spirit and energy. Her voice was sonorous. We can hardly believe that she is nearly 80 years old. Being an artist for 65 years and a teacher for 55 years, Prof. Tsering Yungdrup embodies the spirit of “passion” and “persistence” through her actions. We sincerely hope that her dream will come true soon and she will contribute more to Tibetan singing art.

>>Tsering Yungdrup: Music! Music! I

>> Watch the video interview on Chemi Time, please click here!