A&E
Preview: Alash Ensemble to perform traditional Tuvan throat singing in Wellin
By Max Newman ’16
September 25, 2015
Hamilton Performing Arts opens its fall 2015 season with a visit from Alash Ensemble this Saturday, Sept. 26. The award-winning group will showcase traditional throat singing, an ancient technique of Tuvan music.
The Republic of Tuva lies at the southern edge of Siberia, near the border of Russia and Mongolia. With a population of around 300,000, Tuva is formally recognized as an autonomous nation in Central Asia under the Russian Federation.
The musical’s group name comes from the Alash River, which runs through the nation and has inspired various traditional Tuvan songs.
Alash’s three group members, Bady-Dorzhu, Ayan-ool Sam and Ayan Shirizhik have been trained in Tuvan throat singing since childhood. They mastered the technique in college, where they created the trio under a different name.
While gaining local fame as a traditional Tuvan ensemble during their school years at Kyzyl Arts College, the trio also experimented with Western music, which was fairly unfamiliar to them at the time.
As their musical identity shifted, they began to include non-traditional instruments such as guitars and accordions into their arrangements. American music inspired them to work with new harmonies.
According to Newsweek, Alash’s throat singing sounds like “a human bagpipe—a person who could sing a sustained low note while humming an eerie, whistle-like melody.” Eerie is an accurate description of their style, as the multiple layers of sounds are both beautiful and haunting. One must actually hear the music to fully understand its distinct ambiance.
Despite this blend, at the heart of the ensemble one can find the influences of the group members’ grandparents and the traditional musicians of Tuva. They simply integrated Western influences into their contemporary song structure to individualize their art form.
Alash first toured America in 2006. According to their website, their first tour was sponsored by the Open World Leadership program of the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Arts. Alash has since returned to the States multiple times to both perform and teach workshops to American students.
Since their formation, Alash has won countless awards, primarily in throat singing competitions. In 2015, Alash member Ayan-ool Sam was named People’s Xöömeizhi of the Republic of Tuva. In 2004, the ensemble was awarded first prize in Tuva’s International Xöömei Symposium. And in 2008, all three members swept the top prizes for individual throat singing at the Fifth International Xöömei Symposium.
Hamilton College is fortunate to host Alash Ensemble in Wellin Hall. You do not want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The show begins at 7 p.m. and is open to the public. Tickets are $5 for students and $15 for non-students.