STATE MORIN KHUUR ENSEMBLE (MONGOLIA)
The Mongolian State Morin Khuur Ensemble was founded in 1992. It aims to preserve, promote and transmit the morin khuur, a musical representation of Mongolian history, values and cultural heritage. The ensemble has performed in the US, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Austria, Korea and Japan. In 2008, morin khuur was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The ensemble's key instrument is the morin khuur (horse-head fiddle), which will be accompanied by traditional instruments including the cello, dulcimer, yatga (zither), ever buree (Mongolian clarinet), flute and piano. Morin khuur is played in a variety of solo and ensemble settings, especially with the artistic singing of Urtiin duu (long song) and Khoomei (throat singing). Vocalists of Khoomei can produce two pitches at the same time through the manoeuvring of vocal resonance.
