Workshop: An Introduction to Throat Singing

Huun-Huur-Tu come from Tuva, a Russian federative republic, a sparsely settled region of grasslands, boreal forests, and mountain ridges that lies just north of Mongolia. The indigenous folk music of the group formed in 1992 highlights rare and native Tuvan instruments and preserves what is arguably some of the world’s oldest forms of music-making. The best-known genre of Tuvan music, xöömei (throat-singing), comprises what one might call a lexicon of musical onomatopoeia, in which natural sounds are mimetically transformed into musical representations.

Recognised as one of the foremost proponents of Tuvan throat-singing, Huun-Huur-Tu has released several albums and toured extensively to international festivals and prestigious venues, introducing Tuvan throat singing to audiences around the world. Their collaborations include artists from Ry Cooder to The Kronos Quartet. In 2009, Huun-Huur-Tu collaborated with electronic musician and record producer Carmen Rizzo (Niyaz, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Paul Oakenfold, Seal) for the album Eternal, a unique blend of ambient electronic and sonic textures compared to the style of Brian Eno. Their music has also been featured in films, video games and television series.