Tuvan Throat Songs: Alash Ensemble

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Description

From the tiny Central Asian nation of Tuva, Trio Alash specialize in throat singing, an ancient art form passed down through generations of shepherds - a Central Asian country music of sorts. The magic of Tuvan throat singing lies in each singer’s ability to produce (at least) two notes at once: a low, growling drone that resembles an electric buzz and a high, clean whistling that evokes the wind. It’s one of the most astonishing sounds a human body can produce. Alash are also masters of traditional Tuvan instruments igil (2 stringed bowed lute), guitar; doshpuluur (long-necked lute), kengirge and shyngyrash (percussion), shoor and murgu (flute) and xomus (jaw harp). **“Imagine a human bagpipe—a person who could sing a sustained low note while humming an eerie, whistle-like melody. For good measure, toss in a thrumming rhythm similar to that of a jaw harp, but produced vocally-by the same person, at the same time.”— Newsweek** Trained in traditional Tuvan music since childhood, the musicians in Alash studied at Kyzyl Arts College just as Tuva was beginning to open up to the West. They formed a traditional ensemble and won multiple awards for traditional throat singing in international xöömei competitions, both as an ensemble and as individuals. At the same time, they paid close attention to new trends coming out of the West. They have borrowed new ideas that mesh well with the sound and feel of traditional Tuvan music, but they have never sacrificed the integrity of their own heritage in an effort to make their music more hip. The Tiny Republic of Tuva sits at the southern edge of Siberia, with Mongolia to its south. Over the centuries, Tuva has been part of Chinese and Mongolian empires, and shares many cultural ties with Mongolia. In 1944 it became part of the USSR, and until the late physicist Richard Feynman drew attention to it, was largely unknown to westerners. The Republic of Tuva is now part of the Russian Federation. Alash features award-winning musicians **Bady-Dorzhu Ondar**: vocals, igil (2 stringed bowed lute), guitar; **Ayan-ool Sam**: vocals, doshpuluur (long-necked lute), igil , guitar, and **Ayan Shirizhik**: vocals, kengirge and shyngyrash (percussion), shoor and murgu (flute) and xomus (jaw harp). **“utterly stunning… audience members picked their jaws up off the floor.” The Washington Post** **<Join us for a free conversation and workshop on Tuvan Throat Singing at 6:45>** **VIDEO** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK0npp2NLaY If you require ADA access, please let us know 24 hours in advance by emailing: [email protected] \--- FAQ on tickets, seating, students, photography/video, parking, ADA and more can be found at TheLocalSaugerties.com