Throat Singing is Worth the Wait

Last February, Huun-Huur-Tu's return to Dayton was cancelled by lousy weather. Thankfully, we were able to reschedule for Tuesday, October 4.

If you were also in the audience when this quartet was here a couple of years ago, you understand why I'm looking forward to the show with such anticipation. Tuvan throat singing—producing two notes simultaneously—is nothing short of amazing. And the internationally acclaimed ensemble known as Huun-Huur-Tu have emerged as the leading ambassadors of Tuvan culture and song.

The idea behind Huun-Huur-Tu came from an unlikely place—the annual Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California. Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, a young man already known as one of Tuva’s most accomplished throat-singers, and two other Tuvan singing horsemen had been invited to ride in the 1992 Rose Parade. As a result of the trip, the three Tuvans decided to form a band and try to preserve traditional Tuvan music and culture in the face of modernization and a half-century of Soviet suppression.

The Republic of Tuva, a member of the Russian Federation, is located in the exact geographic center of Asia, nestled in the mountains of southern Siberia. Tucked between Russia and Mongolia, Tuva was already a thriving society when Genghis Khan conquered it in 1207. Mongol and later Chinese forces ruled Tuva for centuries before it was made a Russian protectorate in 1914. Tuva was part of the Soviet Union between 1944 and 1991.

Intrigued? You can check out videos of the group here, but the best way to feel the impact of the nuances these talented musicians achieve is to be in the audience and hear them live. You'll thank yourself!