Tuvan Throat Singers Return to Whitefish Bay

The Alash Ensemble of the Siberian Republic of Tuva will return to its American “hometown” for a performance at Richards School on March 22.

The show is open to the public and free, though donations are welcome. The concert will be held at 7 p.m. March 22 is in the hall at the north end of the school (Door 4).

Alash, based in the Republic of Tuva in the Russian Federation, has won numerous international awards in Tuvan throat singing, a technique which allows vocalists to sing multiple pitches at one time.  Ensemble members also play a variety of Tuvan traditional instruments, contributing to an overall musical experience that a Washington Post review described as “absolutely stunning.” 

The group’s translator/manager, Sean Quirk, grew up in Whitefish Bay so Alash’s Tuvan musicians – Ayan-ool Sam, Ayan Shirizhik and Bady Dorzhu-Ondar – have adopted Milwaukee as their American hometown. As they have for the past six years, while in town, the group will take part in a week-long series of school workshops on world music sponsored by the Milwaukee’ Symphony’s Arts in Classroom Education (ACE) program.

The Whitefish Bay concert gives him the chance to share his adopted Tuvan culture with his American friends in the area, says Quirk, who has lived in Tuva for the last ten years. In 2008, the Tuvan government honored him as a Distinguished Artist of Tuva for his efforts in promoting Tuvan music and culture.

Alash tours the U.S. several times a year sharing traditional Tuvan music through school and college workshops as well as performances. This spring’s tour, which started in blizzard-stricken Boston, included a Feb. 16 performance at Carnegie Hall.

Alash, which has released two CDs of its own in the U.S., regularly performs and records with Western musicians, including improvisational jazz ensembles and classical musicians. Alash members were featured guest performers on a 2009 Grammy-winning CD with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. Jeff Coffin of the Flecktones and the Dave Matthews Band told JamBands.com: “This is some of the most beautiful and haunting music I have heard. If you have not heard them, you have no idea how incredible they are.”

Media contact: Sean Quirk, Alash’s manager/translator at Alashensemble@gmail.com or 414-520-3169. (Email best for initial contact since we're on the road right now).  Music downloads and photos available at alashensemble.com.