A performance by the National Art Troupe in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, June 26, 2015. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Mongolians have a particular style of singing called Khoomei, or throat-singing. In it the singer produces two distinct tones simultaneously: One low pitch and the other high.

The National Orchestra, based at the Troupe, has some of the masters of the art among its 70 singers and performers.

This balance of tradition and modernity is not limited to Hohhot. Ordos, a city with a population of two million, is another place that manages to pull this off.

Although it's a three-hour drive from the capital, the Yinshan Mountain range that runs along the expressway makes the trip worthwhile.