Michael Ormiston

Michael specializes in Mongolian Khöömii (overtone) singing, being one of the only non-Mongolians able to sing Khöömii. He has been studying Khöömii since 1988, attending lectures by Dr Carol Pegg (CambridgeUniversity), Tran Quang Hai (Muse de l’homme, Paris) and Dr Alan Dejaques (Lille University). He has travelled to Mongolia Six times (1993/94/97/2000/05/06) where he studied and performed Khöömii with Tserendavaa, Gereltsogt, Ganbold, Sengedorj, Tsogtbaatar, the “Cream” of Mongolia’s Khöömii singers. In 1994 Michael was given the blessing by Gereltsogt to teach the basic practices of Khöömii Singing. Since then he has given workshops, lectures and individual lessons worldwide and in the summer of 2002 Candida and Michael toured Europe with Tserendavaa who gave both of them his blessing to teach the basics of Mongolian Khöömii. In 2005 he performed Khöömii at the 80th birthday celebration in Chandman Sum Mongolia, the birthplace of Mongolian Khöömii and in 2006 at the 800th anniversary celebrations of the declaration of the Mongolian Empire. Michael plays the Morin Khuur (Mongolian horse head fiddle), Saz, Flat Backed Bouzouki, Tobshuur (Mongolian Fretless Lute), Tibetan Singing Bowls, Symphomic gongs, wind Gongs, Ney (Turkish end blown flute, Jew's Harps, Live electronic loops. and many more!!!