The State Philharmonic was established on June 5, 1957. It was one of the most important events in the Over 40 years the Philharmonic has played many works by famous western, as well as Mongolian composers. Its proudest monument was the playing of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, conducted by Ts.Namsraijav in 1980, which showed the outstanding professional level that Mongolian musicians had attained.

Mongol Khuumii or throat singing involves producing two simultaneous tones with the human voice. It is a difficult skill requiring special ways of breathing. One tone comes out as a whistle-like sound, the result of locked breath in the chest being forced out through the throat in a specific way, while a lower tone sounds as a base. Khuumii is considered musical art, not exactly singing but using one's throat as an instrument.

Perhaps the most ancient musical instrument of the Mongols is the "morin-khuur", invented at least a thousand years ago. In Mongolian, morin means horse, and khuur means sound, rhyme, and melody.

There are traditional Mongolian string and wind instruments, as well as drums and gongs. Mongolians have made their music through the ages using metal, stone, bamboo, leather and wood. The most popular musical instrument is Morin Khuur (horse fiddle) which is said to represent the movement and sounds of a horse.

Another popular Western Mongolian dance is performed with cups. You may come across old men and women in the countryside who will tell you with fascination what magnificent dancers performed it in the past when it was very much in vogue. They balanced cups full of water on their heads without spilling a single drop. 

It is worth mentioning the traditional religious ritual dance "Tsam " as an internationally popular Mongolian performance. It is an ancient mixture of theater, dancing, ritual ceremony and of folk tales. Its uniqueness had been highly appreciated in Great Britain, Germany, France, Skandinavian countries and many other parts of the world.

Twisted, distorted "snaky people," or contortionists, perform the type of classical Mongolian dancing probably most familiar to people outside Mongolia. The "Biyelgee" dance, or dance of the body, is particular to the people of western Mongolia.

Mongolian dance began as a ritual performance imitating the movement and manner of deities, mystical creatures and legendary heroes. Shamanist perception of the surrounding world and worshipping of Mother Nature influenced the style of ancient dancing, as well as the shape and pattern of clothing and accessories.

Dances imitating the gait of a horse, such as the Chonon khar and Jalam khar, are in general very popular amongst the Derbets, Bayads, Torguts, Khotons and Zakhchins of western Mongolia. Each nationality, however, performs them in its own way.