Directions for the Teacher

This guide facilitates an exploration of the Alash Ensemble and the ancient vocal art of Xöömei (throat singing) from the Republic of Tuva. Designed for middle and high school students, these activities move beyond basic listening to analyze the complex physics of harmonics, the intersection of nomadic culture and geography, and the evolution of world music through modern collaboration. Students are encouraged to use critical thinking to compare these Central Asian traditions with their own cultural and environmental contexts.

About the Artists

The Alash Ensemble—Bady-Dorzhu Ondar, Ayan-ool Sam, and Ayan Shirizhik—are masters of Tuvan throat singing, a technique where a single vocalist produces multiple distinct pitches simultaneously. Based in the Republic of Tuva, a small region in Central Asia, the ensemble was trained by traditional masters while also drawing influence from Western musical styles. Named after the Alash River, the group utilizes traditional instruments such as the igil (two-stringed fiddle) and doshpuluur (lute) to preserve their nomadic heritage while engaging in groundbreaking collaborations with artists across the globe.

Watch & Listen

Introduce students to the polyphonic sounds of Alash. These clips highlight both traditional performance and the technical mastery required to manipulate vocal overtones.

Discussion Prompts

• How does the Alash Ensemble use their voices and instruments to mimic sounds found in nature (such as wind or galloping horses)?
• How does the combination of traditional Tuvan instruments and modern performance settings convey a specific mood or image?
• In what ways do you think a nomadic lifestyle in Central Asia influences the themes and structures of their music compared to music produced in Florida?
• Alash has collaborated with jazz and bluegrass musicians. How does blending such different styles help to dispel stereotypes about “traditional” or “folk” music?

Activities & Extensions

• The Physics of Harmonics: Investigate the properties of sound waves. Have students research how throat singing isolates overtones—frequencies that are integer multiples of a fundamental tone. Standard: SC.912.P.10.20
• Geography and Nomadic Culture: Use maps to analyze the physical characteristics of the Republic of Tuva. Discuss how the region’s landforms and climate shaped the nomadic traditions reflected in their music. Standard: SS.6.G.2.1
• Mathematical Patterns in Sound: Explore the mathematical ratios between fundamental frequencies and overtones. Use patterns and structure to understand how musical intervals are constructed. Standard: MA.K12.MTR.5.1
• Cultural Generalizations: Research the history of Tuvan music and its journey to the international stage. Discuss how the ensemble works to evaluate generalizations and dispel stereotypes. Standard: WL.K12.SU.8.3
• Global Influence on Western Art: Analyze how Western music has been influenced by world cultures like Tuva. Discuss the impact of travel and technology on how these musical works are experienced. Standard: MU.912.H.1.4

Relevant Standards

Grades 6–8

• MU.68.H.1.3: Describe how American music has been influenced by other cultures.
• MU.68.O.3.1: Describe how the combination of instrumentation and expressive elements in a musical work can convey a specific thought, idea, mood, and/or image.
• SS.6.G.2.1: Explain how cultural characteristics, such as the arts, help define a place or region.
• VA.68.H.1.1: Describe social, ecological, and economic conditions reflected in works of art.

Grades 9–12

• MU.912.H.1.4: Analyze how Western music has been influenced by historical and current world cultures.
• MU.912.H.2.3: Analyze the evolution of a music genre.
• SC.912.P.10.20: Describe the measurable properties of different types of waves and explain that such waves can also be described by their energy and behavior.
• WL.K12.SU.8.3: Research different aspects of the target culture(s) and own culture in order to evaluate and refine generalizations and dispel stereotypes.
• MA.K12.MTR.5.1: Use patterns and structure to help understand and connect mathematical concepts.