Alash ensemble to present concert of Tuvan throat singing

Friday, April 13, 2018
Masters of Tuvan throat singing, Alash ensemble will present an April 22 concert as part of the DePauw University Performing Art Series.
Courtesy photo

Alash, an ensemble known as masters of Tuvan throat singing, will perform as part of DePauw University’s Performing Arts Series on Sunday, April 22.

The 7 p.m. performance will take place at Music on the Square, 21 N. Indiana St. in Greencastle, and is free and open to the public.

Throat singing is a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. What distinguishes this trio -- Bady-Dorzhu Ondar, Ayan-ool Sam and Ayan Shirizhik -- from earlier generations of Tuvan throat singers is the subtle infusion of modern influences into their traditional music.

One can find complex harmonies, western instruments, and contemporary song forms in Alash’s music, but its overall sound and spirit is decidedly Tuvan.

The Washington Post opined, “There are plenty of recordings of Tuvan throat singing out there, but they can’t compare to witnessing such sonic magic in real time.” Added Michigan’s Kalamazoo Gazette, “When Alash Ensemble sings, the world listens.”

The concert is being presented in celebration of Earth Day.

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