Valentina Suzukei and the Music of Tuva

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September 2, 2021

a project of ServiceSpace

Even if it's not audible, you should sing inside.

- Unknown Tuvan woman -

Valentina Suzukei and the Music of Tuva

"Tuva is the epicenter of a rare form of throat singing, in which our ears seem to magically hear multiple pitches and melodies emerging all at once from a single note sung in a drone. Valentina Szkei is the world's leading expert on Tuvan music, especially the variant known as Xmei. Unfortunately, her research and preservation of Tuvan culture has never been translated into English, despite its invaluable significance illuminating profound musical practices not well known outside of Tuva. This was one of many reasons I traveled across the world to interview her in 2014. Together, we journeyed to remote villages near the borders of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China to meet musicians, shamans, hunters and instrument builders. These remarkable people embody the unique ways traditional Tuvan culture syncretizes music, spirituality, and a quantum perception of nature." Filmmaker Steve Elkin delves deep into the heart of a profound art form in this interview. { read more }