Tuva.Asia / The New Research of Tuva

Merited Artist of Russian Federation, People’s Khoomeiji and Honored Educator of the Republic of Tuva, one the most renowned Tuvans in the world, throat singer, musician, teacher Kongar-ool Ondar has died today in Kyzyl aged 52.

His official birthday was March 29, 1962 and Kongar-ool Ondar confessed this date was very conventional and he always marked his birthday twice in a year – on March, 29 and December, 4. Recently all the Tuva and throat singer’s friends and fans celebrated his 50^th anniversary on “Dembildey-2012” festival. Kongar-ool Ondar was one of the most magisterial throat singers in the world. He teached a whole new generation of young musicians in Tuva.

Kongar-ool Ondar has told the story of his dramatical life full of ups and downs in a big biographical interview for “The Center of Asia” newspaper last year.

“The New Research of Tuva” expresses its sincere condolences to all the relatives and friends of Kongar-ool Ondar and deeply bewails the grievous loss of Tuvan culture.

The National Khoomeizhi of Tuva Mongun-ool Ondar was the Grand Prix winner of the VI International Ethnomusicological Symposium “Khoomei -  a Cultural Phenomenon  of the Peoples  of the Inner Asia”.  It is the second highest award he has received, the first prize came 20 years ago as a 16 year old at the First International Throat-Singing Forum. The laureates of individual khoomei performance are Ayan-ool  Sonam (1^st), Igor Koshkendei (2^nd), Bady-Dorzhu Ondar (3^rd). The last two artists were awarded with Grand Prizes in solo throat singing in 1998 and 2008 correspondingly, and they are members of the “Alash” Ensemble, which has become a winner of the Grand Prix in the Bands category this year. The Awards were presented to the winners by the Head of the Republic of Tuva, Sholban Kara-ool. He expressed gratitude to the participants of the Symposium for their constant interest to the ancient art of Tuva. “Khoomei is an impenetrable mystery of the Tuvan people’s soul and it is our mighty heritage. Our ancestors used to say: “I will never leave my khoomei, I will always carry it with me”.