URNA

Urna was born into a humble family of livestock farmers in the grasslands of the Ordos district, in southwestern Inner Mongolia. She learned hundreds of traditional Mongolian songs from her grandmother and parents. From 1989 to 1993 she studied the Chinese dulcimer, yanqin, at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. There she met Robert Zollitsch from Germany, studying Chinese traditional music.
With his Bavarian zither he started to accompany Urna´s also very special folk songs from the Ordos. In contrast to some better known Mongolian styles, these songs have an intimate tranquility and deeply moving expression. In 1994 the duo founded the ensemble Crossing“ in Shanghai. In addition to presenting a well-balanced combination of Mongolian, Chinese and European music, they featured Robert´s original compositions.
One year later Urna and Robert moved to Germany and started performing a program of Ordos folk songs with the ensemble Tal Nutag“. Since that time Urna appeared on many European stages, showing her strong and poetic voice with its tremendous range, seeming to soar endlessly.
On this track Urna and Robert play together with the German cello player Sebastian Hilken, whose sound is clearly influenced by his musical experiences in India, as well as with the Chinese sheng player Wu Wei, a virtuoso on this little known ancient Chinese wind instrument.

Hödööd 4:50
(Music: Robert Zollitsch, lyrics: Urna)
(previously unreleased)
Current CDs: Tal Nutag“
(Klangräume 30200)
Crossing“
(Klangräume 30330)