Perhaps one of the most unique types of music one can imagine, Tuvan throat singing is a masterful technique that requires multiple pitches to be sung at the same time.
A special ensemble of Tuvan throat singers, Alash, will be performing at The Martin on Jan. 23 at 7 p.m, hosted by Great Basin Arts & Entertainment (GBAE). Tickets are $20 each, available at the door or online at gbae.org.
Tuva is a part of an indigenous culture, located on the edge of southern Siberia (brrr), and is among only four main cultures across the world that have a throat singing tradition, making it a rare and significant occasion to see it live.
According to Britannica.com, throat singing is like opera in that singers go through years of training in order to master it, but it is inherently unique in sound. Throat singers have to manipulate different muscles in their throat, engaging their stomach and chest to resonate “chambers of the vocal tract under sustained pressurized airflow”.
Members of Alash include Bady-Dorzhu Ondar on vocals, and playing the igil, guitar, and bayan (accordion), Ayan-ool Sam on vocals, playing the doshpuluur, igil, and xomus, Ayan Shirizhik on vocals, playing the kengirge, shyngyrash, shoor, and xomus, and their manager and interpreter, Sean Quirk.
Tuvan throat singers of the ensemble Alash, Ayan-ool Sam (left), Bady-Dorzhu Ondar (middle), and Ayan Shirizhik (right), are visiting Winnemucca and performing at The Martin Hotel on Jan. 23 at 7 p.m.
With cultural integrity playing a large part in the overall sound of Alash’s music, the musicians also make their music their own with some modern influence, including “complex harmonies, western instruments, and contemporary song forms”.
“Alash are deeply committed to traditional Tuvan music and culture. At the same time, they are fans of western music. Believing that traditional music must constantly evolve, the musicians subtly infuse their songs with western elements, creating their own unique style that is fresh and new, yet true to their Tuvan musical heritage,” according to their website.
GBAE describes their style as “[borrowing] new ideas that mesh well with the sound and feel of traditional Tuvan music,” and says that “they have never sacrificed the integrity of their own heritage in an effort to make their music more hip.”
The musicians have spent their lives learning their unique techniques and performing around the world.
“Alash musicians 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 competitions, both as an ensemble and as individuals,” according to GBAE.
Alash first toured the United States under the sponsorship of the Open World Leadership program of the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Arts, traveling across the nation teaching and performing many times after that.
“Alash has a passion for teaching and promoting understanding between cultures. Their tours often include workshops in which they introduce Tuvan music to students in primary, middle and high schools, colleges, universities, and music conservatories,” their biography explains.
Alash will be making this special stop in Winnemucca as a part of their U.S. 2024 tour, running from January through February, and is sure to be a one-of-a-kind performance.