Yoryal. Folk music orchestra (Kalmykia)

Amazing melodies of the endless kalmykian and Mongolian prairies, the instruments with the strange voices and fairy-tale names: tovshur, huchir, yatkha, shanz, jinginur… These instruments sounded in the ancient times, when the great heroes-giants from kalmykian epos ‘Jangr” lived, fighting the enemies and protecting a precious Buddhist teaching about love and compassion.

These instruments sang their doleful songs in the 40-ties, when the Buddhist temples built by the nomads were destroyed, when kalmykian lamas, who returned from many years of studies in Tibet were shot, and common people were sent to the exile to Siberia. These instruments are heard now, when Kalmykia experiences unprecedented spiritual revival, the temples appear anew, and the relations with Tibet that seemed to be lost forever are re-established once again.

Tibet and Kalmykia are the countries with the similar destiny; their musicians speak the same language, for their experience and feelings are alike. Not in vain Tibetan Gyudmed lamas remembered the performance of Yoryal orchestra, when they visited Kalmykia on a spiritual purpose. Holding their breath they listened to the voices of kalmykian instruments, and with a special attention – crystal clear composition “Buddhist monk’s morning”, telling the story of their life and spiritual heroic deed on the language of music.

Folk music orchestra “Yoryal” was founded in 1999 in Elista; the musicians’ aim is to preserve the ancient musical instruments and unique singing tradition of the prairie Buddhist Republic Kalmykia.

Exhibitions of festival «Tibet-2005»