Shadows and Light

As regular audiences are well aware, the Evergreen Theatre as a venue and the audiences it attracts are always eager and willing to embrace a huge diversity of performance styles from near and far. From time to time, however, we are totally surprised, delighted and amazed with a particular evening’s entertainment. Such was the case last Monday, July 2nd when Chirgilchin performed there at what was another sell-out performance. (View gallery)

This throat singing group from the Republic of Tuva, a small Russian province north of Western Mongolia, features award winning singers and musicians practicing their extraordinary art and playing on beautiful instruments made by one of the group members. These instruments were beautifully carved with horse heads and other decoration, showing the level of craftsmanship employed in their creation.

It’s hard to imagine the versatility of the human voice when played as a musical instrument, carrying melody and harmonies in a single solo performance. One of the songs which is for a goat who has rejected her kids and will not feed them featured Aidysmaa Koshkendey, the female vocalist of the group and evoked a simpler, much harder way of life than the relatively pampered one we know in this part of the world – when portrayed in these songs, it seemed almost to be more real. The language, though foreign, was strangely familiar as the music with its haunting, almost mesmeric tones gently broke down barriers and told stories that became a part of our lives – stories of loneliness, love and communication with the flocks and herds that are part of their everyday existence. The audience at one point even joined in a song and became a most convincing flock of sheep baa-ing.

The performance was further enriched by the sight of the musicians in their gloriously richly coloured costumes of gold trimmed brocades in reds, blues and plums.

The gallery of photographs of the evening’s performance features a track from the group’s CD ‘Collection’ entitled ‘Khoomeige Yoreel’ (“In Praise of Khoomei’ – Khoomei is the word for this style of throat singing). This is performed by the three male members of the group, Igor Koshkendey, Mongoun-Ool Ondar and Aldar Tamdyn.

The band’s website:
www.chirgilchin.com

Ellie