Wolfville, NS – The Acadia Performing Arts Series presents Chirgilchin on Sunday, March 14 at 7:30 pm at the Festival Theatre in Wolfville. It promises to be a unique musical experience.
New York performance artist Laurie Anderson first met the three male vocalists at their appearance in that city in June 2005. She was so taken by their vocal technique that she decided to take part in the following morning’s throat-singing workshop. This led to an invitation by Laurie to collaborate on some studio sessions later in the year. “I first heard Chirgilchin at the Rubin Museum [of Art] …and I was immediately entranced with their incredible sounds – both instrumental and vocal.â€
Chirgilchin’s Aldar Tamdyn crafts the horse-head fiddles and other instruments that the group plays. He is joined by Igor Koshkendey and Mongoun-Ool Ondar. Tuva is the only republic in the world whose chief export is its folk music. The three male vocalists represent the best of the younger generation of Tuvan musicians and were brought together by Alexander Bapa, the founder of the popular throat-singing group Huun Huur Tu.
The word “chirgilchin†means either “mirage†or “miracle†in the Tuvan language. Throat-singing, or “overtone singing,†is the audible expression of producing two or more notes at once. This startling technique was developed in response to the sounds of the natural environment in which Central Asian nomadic tribes roamed. A particularly rich throat-singing tradition survives in Tuva and neighboring Mongolia. In these areas, marked by vast grasslands and mountain ranges, throat singing is called khöomei. The singer produces overtones by varying the shape of his mouth and pharynx; as a result two, three, or even four distinct tones can be heard at once. The fundamental tone remains constant, while melodies are sung with the highest overtone, resembling the sound of a flute.
The three members are all grand prix winners in the biggest international throat-singing competitions, and sing in a wide variety of styles, playing on Mongolian instruments, in traditional costume. Igor Koshkendey is one of the finest throat singers from Tuva.
Tickets ($26/$17 for students) are available at the Acadia Box Office 542.5500 or 1.800.542.8425 (TICK). Any remaining tickets will be available from 6:30 pm on March 14 at half-price ($10 for students).
For more information, please contact: Acadia Performing Arts Series: Peter Smith 902-585-1282 or peter.smith@acadiau.ca
