Michael Ormiston

Male

London

United Kingdom

Profile Information:

About me:

Michael Ormiston has been composing, performing, teaching and writing about music for many years. He is a multi-instrumentalist and is currently involved as a solo performer, in a duo with Candida Valentino and a member of Miraca, Boundless, Hyperyak, Mysterious Tremendum, Praying for the Rain music groups. His original compositions have been used on TV (BBC and Channel 4), Theatre (Theatre de Complicite), Dance (Ballet Frankfurt, Spiral Dance) and performance (London Jazz Festival). His throat singing has been used on Hollywood Films (The Golden Compass, We Were Soldiers), and TV (BBC’s acclaimed series Planet Earth, Last of the Medicine Men). He has performed globally including for His Holiness The Dalai Lama. Michael is also a radio programme researcher, writer and presenter, a traditional music reviewer (Songlines magazine), a workshop leader, teacher and researcher in Mongolian music. He is one of the principal workshop leaders and performers of Eye-Music’s Colourscape.

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 Carole Pegg (Cambridge University), Tran Quang Hai (Muse de l’homme, Paris) and Dr Alan Dejaques (Lille University). He has travelled to Mongolia six times (1993/94/97/2000/05/6) where he studied 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 2006 Michael was invited to perform in Mongolia with Mongolian throat singers as part of the 800th anniversary of the declaration of the Mongolian Empire.

Michael has facilitated Khöömii and Overtone singing workshops in the U.S and Europe including at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London, Greenwich University, London, The Giving Voice Festival (Wales), Gaunts House, Dorset, The New Life Centre, New York, Ballet Frankfurt, Germany, The Centre of Intercultural Harmony, Ascona, Switzerland, Trinity College Dublin with the Temenos Project, Alternatives, St James Church, London, The Eden Project, Cornwall, England

For the past thirteen years Michael has led workshops, evenings and therapy sessions in Relaxation, Meditation and Deep Listening using Tibetan Singing Bowls, ever since Khamba Lam Choijampts, the head Abbot of Ganden Monastery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia heard Michael playing them.

Michael has recorded many acclaimed CD’s please click for more information
Or visit myspace pages

http://www.myspace.com/michaelormiston23
http://www.myspace.com/radiantvoyages

Michael has a rare collection of Mongolian instruments including the Morin Khuur, Tobshuur, Tömör Khuur, Khulsan Khuur, Limbe, Yatag, Tsuur. Among the other instruments he plays are, Tibetan Singing Bowls, Symphonic Gongs, Saz (Turkish long necked lute), Flat backed Bouzouki, Ney (Turkish end blown flute), Jew’s harps, Live electronics……

Instruments:

Morin Khuur, Tobshuur, Khalsun Khuur, Flat backed bouzouki,Nay, Tibetan Singing Bowls, Tomor Khuur, Symphonic Gongs, zither, Shawmand ....

Influences:

Tserendavaa, Sundui, Sengedorj, Ganbold, Gereltsogt, Yavgan, Davaajoe, Zulsar, Khosbayar, Amartuvshiin...Huun Hurr Tu, Chirgilchin, Gannadi tummat... Sainkho Namchylak, Maggie Nicols, Lis Fraizer, Diamanda Galas, Julie Tippetts, Meredith Monk, Joan La Barbara, Michael Vetter, Phil Minton, Roberto Laneiri, Demetrio Stratos, david Hykes, Tran Quang Hai, yat-Kha, etc etc

Homepage:

http://www.soundtransformations.co.uk

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