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Summary Ustuu-Khuree' music festival in Russian republic of Tyva promotes traditional throat singing.
In the Russian republic of Tyva, music lovers from all over the world descended on the town of Chadan for the 14th annual Ustuu-Khuree international music festival.Though musicians representing more than 14 countries -- with styles ranging from folk music to jazz -- took part in the four-day festival, it is traditional Tyvan throat singing that has traditionally drawn handfuls of admirers to the remote Siberian republic bordering Mongolia.Throat singing is a style of melodic vocalisation in which singers manipulate their voices to produce overlapping sounds that sometimes replicate the sounds of nature. The technique was traditionally practised outdoors by the nomadic herdsmen of Central Asia, according to the throat singing Alash Ensembles website.There are several fundamental styles of throat singing, which the Kanjira band, in brightly-coloured silk folk costumes, demonstrated for Reuters.Kargyraa is a low-pitched, sometimes hollow grumble; Sygyt is a high-pitched style, reminiscent of whistling; Ezengi is rhythmic, meant to evoke horseback riding, according to the Alash website; and the Khomeii style is softer, using the mid-range of a persons voice to produce a bouncy whistle.One of the aims of the festival is promote the collective music-making culture and playing national and classical instruments, where both amateur and professional musicians usually perform. Festival-goers, some of whom camped on-site, were also exposed to traditionalTyvan wrestling, and the festival also coincided with the last stages of construction and the opening of the new Ustuu-Khuree Buddhist temple.
