THE AMAZING THROAT SINGERS AT THE RAINFOREST WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL
By Yeoh Jun Lin | Artistic Director - Rainforest World Music Festival

Surrounded by mountains that make up 80% of the land, and desert, lying between the Siberia and Mongolia borders, is the country of Tuva. There are about 8000 rivers here and numerous glacial and salt lakes.

Tuva was controlled by the Mongols from the 13th to the 18th centuries, self-ruled for a while, then under the Chinese Manchu rule from 1757 till 1911. Ever since then, it has been a tug-of-war between the Soviet Federation and the Chinese as to who Tuva actually belongs to.

Politics aside, this is a land of stark beauty, of  horses, cattle and sheep that are viewed as precious belongings and outnumber humans, of Shamans and an innate bond with nature, of happy delight of the people in khuresh or wrestling, and of the mystic and amazing art of throat singing.

This art of khoomei is thought to be one of the oldest forms of music making. It is part of the ritual of mimicking nature – the mountains, grasslands, wind, water and light. This vocal production also works as an aural map of their surroundings and a reverent acknowledgement of animism stands at the core of their music.

HUUN HUUR TU is a household name in the world music circles. This quartet has taken their folklore, throat singing and distinctive instruments like the igil (a Tuvan horsehead cello), khomus (mouth harp), doshpuluur (Tuvan banjo)and the  tungur (shaman drum) to an international audience, thus ensuring that their music is preserved and has travelled extensively all over the world.

Khoomei is a word used often to describe throat singing, but there are actually other styles like sygyt and kargyraa. These are overtones that can be done by the voice. A deep note is produced and then harmonics layered on top of it – one can be a humming sound in the mid-range, and another can be a high whistling tone that can be moulded into a melismatic melody by the embouchure of the singer’s lips. Sometimes three different pitches can be heard from one person. Usually in Tuva, it is done a capella and by one person at a time, but Huun Huur Tu has layered their four voices together and as a result can sound like a whole choir. It is extraordinary and unique.

Huun Huur Tu also accompany their singing with their stringed and percussion instruments. In a lot of their music, one can hear the rhythm of horses trotting and they sing gentle love songs or of joyous dances.

Ever since Huun Huur Tu made their appearance at the Rainforest World Music Festival in 2003, central Asian groups have been a favourite exotic colour at the event.

What will be an added spice to their performance, is that these four quiet and wonderful men of Huun Huur Tu will take to the stage in their glorious costumes, and joining them will be 3 members of Russian band Malerija who will layer a contemporary edge to the music.

The contrast is electrifying and mind blowing – both visually as well as aurally.

This year represents the Rainforest World Music Festival’s 10th Anniversary and to celebrate, we have arranged to bring back bands that have played at some point over the last nine years.

Everyone who has attended the festival always has their own favourite bands and the organizers have been bombarded with requests as to which bands to be brought back.

It is not possible to bring back the 150 or so bands but there will definitely be the same contrast of variety and off-tangent music that the festival has become known for.

The festival is organized by the Sarawak Tourism Board and it  will be held at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong on the 13th, 14th and 15th of July. Tickets are already on sale and can be bought online at http://www.ticketcharge.com.my/  as well as at all Visitor Information Centres in Kuching, Miri and Sibu.

Tickets are priced at RM80 for a one day Adult Pass, and RM200 for a 3-day Adult Pass. Children aged 3 – 12 years of age can purchase half priced tickets.

More information on the festival can also be found on the website www.rainforestmusic-borneo.com

Huun Huur Tu and Malerija will be ending one of the evening’s shows with a colossal bang but don’t forget to catch them at the workshops where it will be a completely different spiritual and intimate dimension.

Yeoh Jun Lin
Artistic Director
Rainforest World Music Festival