For the last 15 years, Three Camel Lodge and our sister company, Nomadic Expeditions, have proudly supported local students studying traditional Mongolian music and dance at the Gobi’s Khankhongor School. We frequently hold performances at the lodge, giving these talented students the chance to showcase their skills and share the beauty of these cultural traditions with our guests. Additionally, we also contribute to the Khankhongor Scholarship Program on an annual basis.
What is the Khankhongor Scholarship Program?
The grant program supports emerging talents from the Khan Khongor ensemble pursuing music education and strengthens regional arts organizations. We foster a collaborative environment to preserve Mongolian folklore traditions, ensuring these cultural treasures are passed down through generations. Additionally, we are dedicated to nurturing future music development in Mongolia’s provinces, creating an inclusive platform for all voices to be heard.
The Students’ Achievements
In partnership with the Arts Council of Mongolia-US (ACM-US), we contributed $5,000, which funded the tuition for three students during the 2023-2024 school year. Those students—including Saruulbayar M., Tsogzolmaa N., and Uuganbayar S.—all excelled academically, and two of them even went on to showcase in international performances.
In their fourth year at the Khankhongor School, Tsogzolmaa N. and Uuganbayar S. participated in folklore performances abroad. Initially, they took part in Vistula Folk in Plock, Poland from August 21-23 in 2023 where they showcased Mongolian folk art.
Keep reading to learn about each of the student’s individual achievements.
Tsogzolmaa N.
Tsogzolmaa joined the traditional folklore band Bogta after Mongolia’s government made the decision to designate 2023-2024 as the “Years to Visit Mongolia.” The band went on to perform at the Go Mongolia Bangkok Road Show, showcasing their talents at the Central World Complex in Bangkok, Thailand.
She also successfully competed in the national “Traditional Methodology for Folklore Music Performance” contest, ultimately securing third place in the “Percussion and String” category.
“This opportunity has allowed me to perform on international stages, and now, I aspire to showcase Mongolian traditional music on a global scale and support aspiring musicians from the Khan Khongor ensemble in reaching their ambitions.”
Saruulbayar M.
Since October 2023, Saruulbayar M. has been working at the Hun Theater.
He has performed admirably in his third year of academic studies, demonstrating his abilities on numerous occasions. Saruulbayar has also actively engaged in the cultural music group.
However, due to a sudden family emergency, Saruulbayar could not dedicate his full attention to his studies and had to pause temporarily. He quickly resumed his studies and was able to successfully complete the academic school year.
“This support has been invaluable in my academic and musical growth, allowing me to delve into more challenging repertoire and broaden my understanding of music theory.”
Uuganbayar S.
Inspired by the “Years to Visit Mongolia” initiative, Uuganbayar went on to participate in the Go Mongolia Road Show as a member of the Bogta band. He went on to present the band’s folklore music in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in April 2024.
“The Khan Khongor award helped me realize my dream of becoming a professional musician.”