For those of you who have asked about helping
out ONDAR -- both continuing the Tuvan culture and Ondar's family,
contributions to the KO Legacy Fund can be made at http://www.kolegacy.org/
Memorial Fund donations will serve to support the cultural activities as well as the family of Kongar-ol Ondar.
Kongar-ol
Ondar passed away last night in his beloved country of
Tuva as a result of complications after emergency surgery for a hemorrhage of the brain.
Needless to say, this comes as a shock to all those who knew him and all those who enjoyed his music. It is too soon for us to put our thoughts and feelings to paper (as it were) but this is in some ways an end of an era.
Of course we are not focussed solely on events taking place in North America in Europe! The L.R. Kyzlasov Khakassia National Museum of Local Historyin Abakan is the first in a series of Khakassian museums to host a joint display of artifacts from Moscow and from Tuva. The exhibit, titleed "National motifs in the art of Tuva and Khakassia”,will visit a few more museums in Khakassia before moving to Kyzyl in September.
The Washington Post has published a short article on Sean Quirk, an American now residing permanently in Tuva. It's a nice article that describes how he got there, and his connection with the ensemble Alash. The occasion for the article is the Smithsonian Folklife Festival mentioned in previous posts, which continues this week on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
Sainkho and Garlo have started a crowdsourcing effort to raise funds for their latest recording, "Go To Tuva". For full details, visit their WWW site at http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sainkho-and-garlo-cd-go-to-tuva
Here is the English summary of their pitch:
We want to release our album « Sainkho & Garlo / Go to Tuva ».
The album is recorded, mixed and ready. Music is a mix of
rock,electro,world + the universe of the famous singer Sainkho
Namtchylak. Songs are in english or in tuvan. Music is very original, Sainkho’s voices are beautiful and the sound is great. Sainkho Namtchylak is a famous singer born in Tuva, a republic in Siberia in the North of Mongolia.
We need money for the mastering, pressing & communication. And if we get more, we and musicians, mixer & recording studio will finally get some money. Hope you join us.
Sainkho & Garlo’s band have been
touring in Siberia & in Tuva, & I made a 26’ documentary / road
movie Go to Tuva. This dvd « Go to Tuva » is not released yet, i
will make a home copy of it just for people who help us. No case,
nothing just a white dvd copy of this rare 26’ road movie in English
& French + 2 clips & a live version of a song.
You can also get :
pictures from Tuva
A Go to Tuva post card
a Go to Tuva road diary ( french only ) A4 w pictures 31pages.
Your name as a coproducer on the 12X12cm card that will come with the cd
a Go to Tuva original T shirt.
And here's a great video that accompanies this project, check it out!
