FAR OFF SOUNDS - Huun Huur Tu: The Tuvan Masters

To support the production of future Far Off Sounds episodes, get access to a ton of bonus content, and become an active member of our community, visit To see all our episodes and learn more about Far Off Sounds, visit . “Tuvan throat-singing“, or khoomei, is an ancient pastime in the steppes of Tuva, a country nestled between Mongolia and Russia. For thousands of years, herders and farmers there have taught their children to sing in the khoomei way. Huun Huur Tu, a group that formed when the Soviet Iron Curtain fell, are the undisputed worldwide masters of khoomei music. Bearing the beauty of their voices and an assortment of instruments whose names we don’t know (including a pair of shakers made from bull testicles and a percussion piece made of horse hooves), they act as ambassadors to a timeless way of life, evoking the wild and natural world of Tuva with their music. We met them at Royce Hall in Los Angeles.