"Oh no, we have many different kinds," Sakari corrects, looking surprised that he didn't know. "Mostly drums - our music is more percussive than yours, I think. Rattles and sticks. We sing quite a bit more, too. Your music seems to favor strings and wind more and the South just doesn't the materials to make things like that.

"I've been practicing the erhu but I'm not very good. I'm a little better with the konghou."