Music
Press
Ayarkhaan is a long-established female group from Sakha, a republic within the Russian Federation that the Russians call Yakutia. The group was created in 2002 with the personal initiative of Ms. Albina Degtyareva. Ayarkhaan is the laureate of many international contests and festivals of live and ethnic music. From the outset, it should be said this is one of the strangest, most exotic music Western ears could expect to behold; Ayarkhaan are specialists in the art of the playing the Khomus, a metal instrument which fits in the mouth and functions like a jew's harp; it is regarded as the national instrument of the Sakha. For years, Ayarkhaan have been leaders in the revival and preservation of the traditional music of Sakha. Thanks to the performances of Ayarkhaan almost forgotten manners of Sakha singing such as "khabarha yryata", "tangalai yryata" lately became popular among people. With the different sounds of voice and of khomus Ayarkhaan can at the same time simulate sounds of animals, birds and the nature. Group's performances are inspired by a tradition that has been handed down for centuries but also reflects modern musical thinking. Throughout the Russian Federation, scholars, critics and concert-goers alike have hailed Ayarkhaan as the vanguard sound of the Yakut Khomus, an instrument whose tonal versatility and acoustic resonance is at once capable of evoking the sound of a cello, a saxophone, or an electric guitar while occupying a sonic space that is ancient, transcendent and utterly unique. - Dave Lewis (AMG), Joshua Cheek (Grammy council member)
"The goal is not only keeping the tradition, but emphatically the innovation. What these ladies manage to produce by the means of acrobatics in the mouth cavity and trilling tongue of their instrument borders with impossible. As a listener at their performance you can hardly beleive that there is nobody playing synthesizer behind the curtains." 20-11-09. Ton Maas, NL - Volkskrant
"The goal is not only keeping the tradition, but emphatically the innovation. What these ladies manage to produce by the means of acrobatics in the mouth cavity and trilling tongue of their instrument borders with impossible. As a listener at their performance you can hardly beleive that there is nobody playing synthesizer behind the curtains." 20-11-09. Ton Maas, NL - Volkskrant
Discography
"Sounds from the Ancient Land of Olonkho"
"Echos of the Past"
Various compilation CDs.
Photos
Bio
Ayarkhaan
The founder of the group Albina Degtyareva is born in the little village of Kyrgyday, Republic of Sakha, in Eastern Siberia, Russia and now is living in Yakutsk, the capital of the Republic, that is also formerly known as Yakutia,
Currently works as a khomus (Jew's Harp) music teacher at Yakutsk Music College and as the artist of Yakutia's State Variety Art Theater. Albina also has made research work for International Khomus Center (known also as Yakutsk Khomus Museum).
Graduated from Yakutsk State University with major in the Sakha language and literature.
Since 1991 she performs on stage as a professional artist. Well-known outside of the Sakha Republic and Russia. Considered as the promoter of khomus music. Her Jew's-harp playing is notable for gifted creativity, individual style, subtle technique, and strong improvisation. Her well-known compositions are At a Tethering Post, Lullaby, The World of Nature, Home Tunes, etc. She rediscovered and brought back to the listeners some of the oldest singing styles pof the Skaha people – nasal, throat, palatal singing. Those techniques are effectively used in Albina's music and theatrical performance.
Being a khomus master-player, Albina Degtyareva deserved the right to be the honored representative of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) when it concerns the expression of her people's soul. She regularly participates in many official events arranged by Yakutia's Government within Russia and abroad. She took part in Days of the Republic in Moscow, St.Petersburg, Khabarovsk, China, Japan (EXPO 2005), and other places.
Albina Degtyareva made music for a number of film and TV productions. For instance, the movies “The Echo of Centuries” (1984), “The Yakut Ballad” (2000), “Congeners” (2001). She appears on various CDs, released in Russia, Austria and Japan. She is also known as a skillful clothes designer for her stage shows. Her costumes done in traditional style earned the Grand-Prix of Yakutia fashion competition “Saharha” in 1997. She is a poetess as well. Her works have been published in printed media.
To promote the living Yakut ethnic music and singing, Albina Degtyareva established a group “Ayarkhaan” in 2002. This group performs many Jew's Harp based pieces, created and arranged by Albina, revives various lost manners of singing – khabarha yryata, tanalai yryata, etc. The concert program is based on inherent symbols of the shamanistic Sakha mythology: Creation of the World, Patron of Horses, sacral Birch Tree, blacksmiths' profession etc.
Ayarkhaan received numerous awards at various Russian and international ethnic/ folk music festivals. Among earned trophies, for instance, there are:
the Grand-Prix of
• the Russian Festival “The Lights of the North” (Syktyvkar, 2003),
• the 2nd World Ethno Music Festival “Sayanring” (Krasnoyarsk, 2004),
the laureate of
• the International Khomus Festival “Il Khomus” (Yakutsk, 2004),
• the International Live Music Festival “The Magic of the Voice” (Brozlav / Poland, 2005),
• the International Verbal Folk Traditions Festival (Warsaw / Poland, 2005),
• the International Khomus Festival (Kyzyl / Russia, 2005).
In the last years Ayarkhaan was a headliner of the following events:
• the International Live Music Festival in Chadan (Tyva / Russia),
• the International Ethno Music Festival in Moscow (Russia),
• the International Live Music Festival “Riddu, Riddu” in Minland (Norway),
• the International Turks Music Festival “The Music of the Great Steppe” in Kyzyl Orda (Kazakhstan).
Recognized as the best group at the V International Jew's-harp Music Congress in Amsterdam (the Netherlands).
Sayan Ring Festival, Shushenskoe. Albina is a resident member of the jury at this festival.
Albina Degtyareva and Ayarkhaan's stage performance and their self-developed costumes always create a furor and accept the warmest welcomes. One wouldn't expect such an impact from a few tiny ladies playing one of the world's smallest instruments. When in November 2009 Albina performed solo in Amsterdam in the Milky Way Club at Balkan Revolutia festival, the usually loud Dutch audience stood still holding breath from the very first to the very last note she played, only to explode in loudest applause of appreciation.
AYARKHAAN links
Information
http://ayarkhaan.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html
Videos
Live concert on Sayan Ring Festival in summer 2010.
http://vimeo.com/22406363
Band's promo film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAS70WlQz2A&feature=related
Fotos
http://picasaweb.google.ru/bolotbootur/Ayarkhaan#
Links
