Interviewed by Nomin Dashnyam, Photos by Suniko.

• Full name: Oyuntsetseg Durvuljin Erdene khamba

• Hobby School Connection & Current Workplace: Founder and owner of Hobby School of Ulaanbaatar. Retired now, but currently researching to prove that Mongolian long song is the “grand” music of the world

• Past Workplaces : Mongolian College of Music and Dance, Mongolian Composers Association, Mongolian State University Of Arts and Culture, Khuur Magnai Um Center

• Sector: Education, Music, Art

• Education: College of Music and Dance of Mongolia. Central Music School of Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Russia. Majored in musicology and music theory at Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Russia (1976). PhD in Art Studies from Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Russia

• Countries Lived In: Russia, India, Hungary, Czech Republic & Mongolia

• Languages: Mongolian, Russian & some English

• Books to recommend: “Traditional Philosophy of Mongolians” (“Монголчуудын язгуур гүн ухаан”) by Nagaanbuu N. Besuidei and “We Won” (“Бид ялав”) by Erdene Ch. Besud

• Songs to recommend: “Дуртмал сайхан дуу” long song sang by Dorjdagva, “Хэрлэнгийн бариа” long song sang by Damchaa, “Нэг л туулах хорвоо” and “Заллага” by “Young” Banzragch

AT SCHOOL

1) Which high school did you graduate from?

I was one of the first students of what is now the College of Music and Dance of Mongolia when it was established in 1957. I studied there until seventh grade at which point I was sent to the Soviet Union to study piano. My Russian piano teacher wanted to send me to the Soviet Union when I was in fourth grade as he recognized my talents early on.  However, my mom could not bear the thought of being separated from me at such a young age so I went there when I was in seventh grade or 14 years old. Initially, only two students were supposed to go to the Soviet Union – People’s Artist of Mongolia Tsolmon and myself. However, Chairman Tsedenbal’s wife Anastasia Ivanovna decided to send ten students instead – five piano majors and five violin majors – and we were enrolled in the Central Music School of Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Upon graduation from the Central Music School, I immediately enrolled in the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory where I majored in musicology and music theory. I graduated from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory in 1976.

2) What kind of a student were you at school?

I was a straight A student, but I was also very mischievous.  I would organize my classmates and cut classes, run on the rooftop and through the basement from which I would emerge covered in spider webs. I would get caught often by the principal and people would exclaim “Oh, this Oyuntsetseg!” That is why I think children should be given the chance to be mischievous, it is not all about sitting properly. Children should have time to study, but also have time to run around and be mischievous. 

3) What is your fondest childhood memory?

I remember my piano teacher Sergei Alexandrovich Ipatov being very fond of me when I was in elementary school. I suppose I was a very talented student. He and his wife would often invite me over to their home for dinners and sleepovers. I remember that they used to live in the “shoe” apartment and that we would walk across the Sukhbaatar square to get to their place. During the winter, the square would be covered in snow which would sparkle with many colors and my teacher and his wife would hold my hands and I would slide across the square. They would often take me to concerts as well.

I also remember being the only child performer at a major state concert. I remember people who used to work with my father at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coming to congratulate me after my performance. Even Chairman Tsedenbal came to congratulate me on my performance. These are the fondest memories from my childhood. 

4) You were initially studying piano but then later changed your major to musicology and music theory.  What led you to make such change?

It is because my hands and wrists were in a lot of pain. I have small hands, so I had difficulty reaching piano keys while playing complex musical compositions, and it caused repeated stress to my hands. I had to take a leave of absence during my studies in the Soviet Union to treat my condition and my piano professor told my father that I had absolute pitch and that I was a good fit to study musicology.  

CAREER

5. What did you do after your graduation from the conservatory?  When and how did you get the idea of establishing our Hobby School?

I came back to Mongolia and taught music theory, music literature, harmony and music analysis at the College of Music and Dance.  Then my husband Gal got posted to the Mongolian Embassy in India and we lived in India for four years. After we came back to Mongolia, I again taught at the College of Music and Dance for two years and then got appointed as the Deputy Director of the Mongolian Composer’s Association by the Third General Meeting of the Mongolian Composers Association. Composer Jantsannorov was the Director and I was his deputy.  Then my husband again got posted to the Mongolian Embassy in the former Czechoslovakia and I followed him there. While we lived in Czechoslovakia, I came to Russia and received my doctorate (PhD) degree in art studies from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory.  

After I received my PhD degree, I returned home. Before I left, all my students and peers used to say that I was a good teacher and that I was very knowledgeable. So here I came back thinking I was number one in Mongolia in the field of musicology, expecting everyone to embrace me more now that I have a PhD degree. But contrary to my expectations, nobody hired me. 

One day Director Jantsannorov called me over and told me to repay the debt I owe to my country for allowing me to pursue my studies on government scholarships by becoming the Prorector of the newly established Mongolian State University of Arts and Culture and put in the efforts to ensure that the school would be able to stand on its own.  I of course accepted his call as it is true that I am greatly indebted to my country.  

I went to the Mongolian State University of Arts and Culture and found out that someone else was already appointed as the Prorector.  I was then appointed as the Director of the Department of Theory and was tasked with developing the music theory curriculum. While I was working on the curriculum, the Prorector told me to take an accreditation test.  I remember the law at the time was that university graduates were not required to take an accreditation test within five years after graduating from a university. As such, I refused to take the test. I recall Rector Baatartsogt asking me to write a two-page paper on one of Sharav’s symphonies to satisfy the Prorector’s demands. However, I refused to do so as I was on the heels of successfully defending my 180 plus page dissertation to earn my PhD degree. The Prorector was a strange person, she showed me a stack of resumes of people applying for Russian language teaching positions and told me that many people wanted to work at the university.  I told her that there may be many people available to teach Russian language, but there are only three or four musicologists in the whole country. Then I quit the university as I refused to work there on principle.  

After I quit the university, J. Badraa who wrote the lyrics of the song “Warm, Native Land” (“Халуун элгэн нутаг”) called me over and told me that if Mongolia didn’t need me, he needed me.  It was after he founded the “Khuur Magnai Um” (“Хуур магнай өм”) Folk Art Center. He then appointed me as the officer in charge of knowledge (“Эрдэм эрхэлсэн түшмэл”) of the Khuur Magnai Um Center.  

While I was working at the Khuur Magnai Um Center, the Mongolian State University of Arts and Culture called me again.  I went running back. I realized a person who thinks she is indebted to her country goes running back each time she is called.  They told me that the university desperately needed me to teach there, but I needed to find the application form to apply for a teaching position. I asked where I was supposed to find the application form and they told me to ask around and get it from some other organization. This really ticked me off.  They had the audacity to call me over and then tell me to find the application form to apply to the university. It was not as if it was mandatory for me to teach there. I then again refused to work at the university, and I left.

Now I was unemployed – it was already awkward for me to return to work for Mr Badraa as I begged him to let me go. And there we were, Gal retired and me without any salary. I spent my last salary to celebrate the New Year’s with my friends and family.  That was when people started putting money on the Christmas tree, it was not something people did when I was young. My friends who came to my place would put money on the Christmas tree for my children. And after the New Year’s, I asked Nemuun and Tselmuun to give me the money on the Christmas tree as I did not have money to even buy bread.  

I was restless, the idea of becoming destitute kept me awake all night.  Then an idea struck me, we could teach English and piano to preschool children. We should be able to, my husband spoke English and I was a pianist.  I told my friends about my idea and they were very supportive. About seven or eight children gathered. We set the monthly tuition at 20 U.S. dollars per month. 140 or 160 U.S. dollars at the time was a lot of money.  You could buy two bags of groceries for only five U.S. dollars!

6) I remember you being my first English teacher!

I was that brave! (laughs) I started teaching English to children out of necessity – Gal would say he can’t teach English and the children would say they don’t want to learn to play the piano (laughs).  I was taught English in India and was of course able to teach English to preschoolers. Also, as a person with a good pitch, I was able to pick up a good pronunciation. I am now starting to forget English as I no longer use it daily. 

We taught the children for two years and it was time for them to go to school. But then the parents came to me and said they did not want to separate their children from us. I asked them what they were talking about and reminded them that we had a deal – we would only teach preschoolers.  However, the parents insisted and told me that they would establish a school for me. I told them to go ahead and that I didn’t know how or anyone who could help me with establishing a school. Then sure enough the parents returned with a permit to run an English language center printed on paper as small as my palm! That is how Hobby School was established. 

I told my son and younger sibling that I needed a space to run my school and asked them to rent a classroom for me. They came back to me and told me that they found rooms available for rent at the Youth Center which were already equipped with desks and blackboards. For a person who just opened a school and with limited resources, it was such a relief to hear that I did not have to buy desks and blackboards.  

We published an advertisement in the newspaper and children came to our school.  Then on 1 October 1993, I selected my students and our school officially opened its doors on 3 October 1993 which was a Monday.  

We started off with just one class with 25 students and from there we grew.  As you remember, we only had one class per grade, 1A, 2A and 3A etc. But this year we have five classes for first graders only. Even then people would keep calling and asking us to enroll their children at our school.  Enrollment at our school became highly competitive. 

Today Tselmuun told me that she no longer has an office because her office is being converted into a classroom and that we don’t have any more space for classrooms. I told her that was a good thing. When I started off, I didn't even have a desk.  

Our new school building is currently under construction. We expect to move our school there next year. You should all come to the opening. 

7) What were the challenges you faced after you found Hobby School? 

We did have challenges. The most difficult challenge we faced was constant pressure from the authorities. Because we were the first private school, our state did not really know how to handle the situation. We were subjected to numerous inspections, some of the inspectors would have a positive attitude toward us and some would put us under immense pressure.  I even cried once because it got very difficult to bear.  

It was also difficult to find good foreign teachers. At the time we could not test their abilities as all we were able to do was talk to them on the phone.  That is why we had some very good teachers and some mediocre ones as well. If I thought someone was not a good teacher, I would let him or her go midway through the school year.  

Thirdly, although their children were enrolled at our school, some parents would try to intimidate us or not pay their children’s tuition.  

At the end, we were able to overcome all the challenges that we faced. And I think it is probably easier for private schools these days as there are many.   

8) As you said, there are now many private schools in Mongolia. What do you think are the positives and negatives of having so many private schools?

I do see that there are positives.  If we did not have any competition, I don’t know if we would have relaxed and not reach our potential.  Our school’s motto is “The First, The Best.” That is why we always strive to be on top.  

I also see that there are some negatives.  I see some schools waste the money that parents spend on their children’s tuition and not provide their children with quality education.  I think they are deceiving the students and the parents. Some students who transfer to our school from other private schools are supposedly straight A students, but they do not pass the standard tests we take from our students who are in the same grade.  I would sometimes ask them if they faked their transcripts. But they would insist that they were straight A students at their previous schools.  

I think these schools do not put their heart into educating their students.  No matter what you do, you should always put your heart into it. Only then you will be successful. However, if you cut corners and focus on the wrong things such as fame, you will always hit a stumbling block.  

I tell my teachers to do everything from the heart. They don’t have to be straight A students when they were in college. As long as they put all their efforts into their teaching, children will learn from them. However, if they only stick to the textbook and not put in the effort, children will only learn half of what they are supposed to. 

9) What are you most proud of about your school, current students and alumni?

Our children have real Mongolian values.  They are very humble and well-rounded. They don’t chase after insignificant things such as brand names and expensive cars. I always tell my students to focus on what they put into their heads, and not what clothes they put on. When I look at my students now, they don’t appear to be flashy or focus on meaningless things. I think most of my students are good people.  

10) What kind of traits do you want the Hobby school's current students and alumni to have?

Everything that I told you earlier. There is a Mongolian saying, “It is better to break a bone than sully a good name.”  No matter what you do and no matter what type of life you lead, have some humanity and compassion for others. I want my students to have “хүний мүс.”

It seems like most of my students who went to Harvard are not coming back to Mongolia.  And I sometimes wonder if I am doing right by my country. My intention was to educate the next generation of Mongolians who would help develop the country. However, it sometimes does not feel right when I hear that my students are not coming back.

I also tried to make my students have very good Mongolian language skills. I recommend you read Dendeviin Purevdorj’s novels and realize how rich your mother tongue is. For instance, the word “liver” (“элэг”) has more than 70 meanings in the Mongolian language.  You will now never forget the English language, which is more the reason for you to improve your Mongolian language skills. 

PERSONAL

11) What are you currently working on?

I recently published my research proving that Mongolians and Native Americans have the same origin by doing a comparative study of their music. Now I am working on an even bigger research to prove from various aspects that our long song is the “grand” (“өвөг”) music of the world.  I think my research work will have about five chapters, each chapter consisting of around 100 pages. I may try to condense the material. Once I am done with my research, I think it will be time for me to go “up.”  

12) What do you think is your biggest achievement in life to date?

Founding Hobby School. Most definitely. I think I have done something great for my country, because the students who graduate from our school are all becoming good people.  

13) What is the best advice you have received in life?

What I said earlier, “It is better to break a bone than sully a good name.”  It is something my parents always told me and it is imprinted in my brain. Also, my mother used to tell me to not chase after clothes and wear something that fits you rather than something that is “in Vogue.”

Another great advice I received in life is to never discriminate people and be compassionate.  There is no such thing as a dumb person. I have always been book smart, but I sometimes lack life smarts, which our school’s drivers and cleaners have.  At the end of the day, we all balance each other.  

14) How do you spend your free time?

I read. Sometimes I like to watch romantic comedies. Then I visited my children’s homes to see my grandchildren. Occasionally I meet my friends, drink wine and get a little bit tipsy. I rather enjoy that (laughs).  

15) If you had the power to solve one problem in Mongolia, what would that be?

I would want to protect our land and nature.  But I am now turning 70 so getting too old for that. If I was younger, I would want to take up arms and fight. I am worried that we might not have anything to leave behind for our future generations. If we maintain our nature in its pristine state, our country would be very rich.  There is no place left in the world like Mongolia with such untouched and beautiful nature. I see Mongolians fighting to protect our country. That is why our Mongolia will rise one day.

That is the destiny of Mongolians. Whenever the world is in distress, Mongolians rise to the challenge to set things on the right course. 

16) What are your good and bad habits?

I don’t know about my good habits. Maybe reading books? As for my bad habit, I sometimes lack the self discipline to quit things that I know are bad for my health.  For example, I drink my morning coffee with sugar even though I am diabetic. I still smoke even though I know smoking is bad for me. I try to lower the number of cigarettes I smoke, but I find myself smoking to relax. I sometimes get good ideas while smoking.  Now that I don’t have much time left on this world, I have decided to continue doing what I enjoy till it is time for me to go. 

17) Who do you want us to interview next?

Oh, I have no idea! We have so many alumni now. But I do have a suggestion: I would like to see your interviews published in English and Mongolian languages - both! There are many people among the parents of Hobby School students who do not know English. I want them to be able to read your interviews as well.  

Like I said before we have so many great alumni, so maybe try interviewing Myagmarsuren Purev-Ochir, 2012 alumna, who graduated from Harvard.