Throat singing is a vocal technique where the deepest note is sung, and a more acute one is produced by the harmonics of the voice. In the NWT, throat singing is a very popular Inuit tradition, and it is with great curiosity that we have discovered tuvan throat singing. This republic located west of Mongolia and north of China has a millenary tradition. Since the end of communism, tuvans have the right to sing their music and use their language again.
Chirgilchin
This group whose name means mirage,
is composed of three men and a woman, which is quiet the novelty; the tradition allows only men to practice throat singing. For folks on the Rocks festival, the three male members, without their fourth partner, have fascinated the public. Since 1996, they travel across the world and have won several awards in the music festivals of Tuva. This group is one of the nearest to the tradition, since they sing in their own language,with religious trends reminding of the chants of Tibetan monks.
To master the various styles of throat singing, several years of practice are necessary. “Our songs come from our fathers and our uncles, who themselves have learned from their fathers, all the songs are memorized, we do not write any partition ” explains Aldar Tamdyn, member of the group. In addition to singing, he builds all the instruments used by the group.
A contemporary touch
Igor Koshkendey is only 26 years old, but he has already won several competitions, in his country and in England. He also composed new songs. “Our songs talk a lot about women, about love, and horses, but there are also a few songs that are sad ” he explains. He has such incredible mastering of his voice that he can reach very acute notes, with a metallic tone, and very low notes too.
Mongul-ool Ondaar has appreciated a lot throat singing of the NWT. “They have a very different sound compared to ours, it is very interesting,” he said. In addition to having won a competition at 16, he worked on the creation of a new style of throat singing. Their tour will stop in a few Canadian cities and throughout the United States, where they have a lot of success. They will then return to their country, to prepare different projects in collaboration with other artists. It is possible to purchase their music on their website. Their hypnotic music will fascinate you.