"Located in the deep south of Siberia along the Mongolian border, the Tuva Republic is one of Russia’s most preserved and culturally vibrant regions in the world, with a rich ancient history based centered around nomadic life and hunting. Widely regarded as the musical ambassadors of the region, Huun Huur Tu, which means ‘sunlight’ in the Tuvian language, have been carrying on the tradition of the khöömei – known to most in the world as throat singing – where singers can produce two or three notes simultaneously, creating an otherworldly and mesmerizing sound. This overtone may sound like a flute, whistle or bird, but is in fact, solely a product of the human voice.

 

 

Founded in 1992, the khöömei quartet formed by Kaigal-ool Khovalyg and Sayan Bapa, and later joined by Alexei Saryglar and Radik Tulush, have been at the forefront of the genre, conquering up images of sweeping grasslands, galloping horses, and the natural beauty of their home with their rousing and awe-inspiring compositions while honing the overtone singing, instrumental approaches, and vibrant songs of their home.

 

See Huun Huur Tu perform live is more than a concert - it’s a spiritual experience that’ll leave you shaken to the core. It’s living, breathing, modern folk music, inspired by the rhythms of horse's hooves on the steppes, that will as the San Francisco Bay Guardian states ‘will ride into your brain and leave hoofprints up and down your spine’.

 

 

 

With over 200 performances worldwide, they have collaborated with musicians from just about every corner of the Earth such as Frank Zappa, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, the Kodo drummers, The Moscow Art Trio, the Kronos Quartet, The Chieftains and Bulgarian women's singing group, Angelite. One of their more talked about recordings was "Eternal" - a collaborative effort with Grammy nominated underground electronic musician, Carmen Rizzo from Los Angeles.

 

The troupe finally made their China debut in 2014, and haven’t looked back since, making frequent visits to the country and teaming up with Beijing based label Stallion Ear soon after. This September, the band will join in the upcoming Stallion World Music Festival which will be held jointly in Beijing and Shanghai, before heading off to perform in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, Zhuhai, Guangdong province, and Hohhot later in the month.

 

 

"We are inspired by nature. Our music makes you strong and peaceful," founding member Sayan Bapa, told China Daily - "The poetic lyrics are like maps of Tuva, portraing the sky, mountains and air. If you have never been to Tuva, you can imagine its landscapes just by listening to our songs."