AMBASSADOR GALT: Good evening, and welcome to tonight’s concert celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Mongolia.
Thank you, Mr. State Secretary, for joining me this evening.
Tonight we have an opportunity to listen to a unique joint performance by the cello rock bank “Break of Reality,” which is visiting from the United States, and the Mongolian State Morin Khuur Ensemble, which is likely well known to many of you.
Break of Reality has spent the last week offering public concerts and interactive master classes for local musicians. Tonight’s performance is the culmination of their visit and one of the signature events in today’s celebration of 30 years of political, economic, and defense cooperation between the United States and Mongolia.
Tonight we focus on our cultural and artistic ties. Through its expression of moods, feelings, sorrows and joys – indeed, our passions as human beings – music allows us to relate to one another even when we do not speak the same language. The quick, running notes of a horse-head fiddle can evoke the galloping of a fast horse across the open steppe, for example, and the sad, low notes of an American saxophone can bring out “the blues” in any listener.
This is part of the reason I take so much pleasure in supporting the U.S. Embassy’s artistic and cultural exchanges. These include the Arts Envoy program and the American Music Abroad program, which has brought us Break of Reality. We intend to bring several more musical and dance groups to Mongolia over the course of this 30th anniversary year, and we look forward to another highlight in June, when the Philadelphia Orchestra will visit.
I would like to thank Ms. Munkhzul and her staff for hosting tonight’s performance at the beautiful State Opera and Ballet Theater; the Arts Council of Mongolia for organizing this program and many other events for Break of Reality; and the talented musicians of Break of Reality and the Mongolian State Morin Khuur Ensemble for working tirelessly to put together tonight’s very special collaborative concert.
Thank you for joining us to celebrate tonight. Enjoy the performance!
