Namgar:
the woman who sings

Namgar sings in a voice that outstanding and miraculous. Sings the songs of Burayts and Mongolians for nearly 20 years in Russia and internationally, preserving the traditions of her own people and intriducing to us the world of ancient nomads of Eurasia.
Namgar's repertoire includes the Buryat dance songs yokhor and neryeen, as well as songs of the ring, songs of the epic heroes, fairytale beauties and the limitless grasslands.
Namgar's beautiful Tibetan name became the name of her group, an international team of profound musicians.

Namgar's history

The folk group "Namgar" is the only Moscow group sticking to the indigenous music tradition of Southern Siberia and Mongolia . On one hand, their see their mission in the revival of the unique singing material dating back to the ancient times of nomads. To this stuff belong:
a)Buryats' dancing songs, such as the shaman's "Nerien" and the merry "Yohor";
b) playing songs of the Ring;
c) Mongol legends about beauties and epic heros, about powerful horse racers and the endless steppe. On the other hand, the group's creative work is a drive for a new music language, in which old folk tunes are combined with modern composition and arrangement technologies.

Namgar" appeared in January 2001 in Moscow . The project came into life due to Namgar Lhasaranova-Evgeniy Zolotarev's joint efforts. Namgar is a well-known Buryat singer. Since 1980 she has shared the stage at international festivals with such performers as Mari Boine, Chirlgilchin, Bolot Bairishev, Derek Miller and the other representatives of ethnic traditions from Sakhalin and European Lappish North to the native inhabitants of Canada and Alaska . At Nagmar's performances you could often hear Evgeniy play the chanza- a 3 stringed Mongol lute covered with a snake skin, the instrument with clear short sounding. You could also meet Honored Buryar Artist, Mongol Battuvshin, who played the flute or demonstrated his throat singing. He is multi-instrumentalist, by the way.

Later a few young Mongol musicians joined the group. Among them, beautiful Urantogs and morin-huurist Altangerel. Earlier, you could hear them only at the ceremonies in the Mongol Embassy. Zhamjan Urantogs, a daughter of a recognized Mongol composer, contributed to the group her masterly ability of performing Mongol zither "Yataga" and profound knowledge of Mongol music. Altangerel also comes from a family of musicians. The norin-huup, he is fond of playing, is an ancient bow instrument. But, unlike many young Mongol musicians who tempt to play it in a cello style, he keeps to his old traditional manner.

The group also includes two guys from the Moscow music design circle-an artist and musician Yury Balashov and his colleague Nikolay Ksenofontov(percussions). Yury plays the "koryaga", an instrument he invented himself, or the Tibetan singing bowl. He is also the producer of another music club group " Volga ".

© 2003 Sketis Music
© 2004 Translation by DP Partners