The tourists were enjoying Tibetan folk singing and dancing at a village in Lhasa when the elegant MC announced the next act on the programme: "El Matador."
A young man dressed as a cowboy, wearing dark sunglasses and carrying an accordion, strode out in front of the audience. A fellow performer helped the teenager sit on the chair.
As soon as the music started, the chatting audience hushed and looked up from the fragrant buttered tea and tenacious dried yak beef on the table in front of them. A few tapped their feet along to the lively sounds of George Bizet's famous piece.
The teenager was only playing one instrument, but it seemed a whole orchestra has arrived at the Nyangrain Township Folk Village. His fingers were racing over the keys and the sound of his squeezebox echoed around the valley. Too soon, it seemed, the one-man-band whirled to an end.
While other people went on enjoying Tibetan music and dances, the accordion player sat alone behind the crowd. "I started learning the accordion at 11," said Sonam Wangdu, 16, who became blind soon after birth.
"The first piece I learned was 'Wave of the Danube.' I practised so hard day and night that the keyboard was soaked in sweat. But I managed it in one month."
Sonam had been learning traditional massage as most visually impaired people do in the Lhasa School for the Blind. But his deep love for music finally won over and he quit study, which he had practised for six years and which could bring a stable income.
"I listen to the music on the tape recorder and I memorize the tune by heart. Then I practise again and again till it matches with the original perfectly," he said.
"I've also tried to adapt some folk music for the accordion besides the Western pieces," said Sonam with a composure seldom seen in young people of the same age.
For example, he has added some variations to the Tibetan folk song "Washing the Clothes" to make it more lively on the accordion. The song first became popular in the 1950s and expressed the great joy of the Tibetans to gain control of their own lives.
Sonam's grandfather is a folk musician working with the Arts Troupe of Qamdo in Tibet. From him, Sonam learned traditional Tibetan instruments such as the six-stringed zhamognyang, which is commonly seen in joyful group dances.
The young man feels grateful to have help from musicians like teacher Zhang Yong with the Arts Department of Tibet University and composer Nortse with the Lhasa Song and Dance Ensemble.
"My greatest wish is to learn piano," said Sonam, who had learned electronic organ before 11. "I've been to the instrument shop where a piano costs 13,500 yuan (US$1,660). That's too expensive for me."
Sonam was born prematurely and given too much oxygen, which caused the blood vessels in his eyes to shrink. He heard that some overseas doctors could help people improve their eyesight who are in similar situation with him. But he doesn't want to put too much burden on his family.
He has been performing with the Nyangrain Township Song and Dance Troup for a month and each day they must visit at least three places to perform.
"Music has brought me great joy. I wish that one day I could go to Shanghai or other big cities and find some teachers to help me learn piano," said Sonam.
(China Daily September 19, 2006)
