Jaw-Dropping Jaw-Harp: Ustatshakirt Ensemble at The Hub

The arrival of the Ustatshakirt Ensemble at Edinburgh International Festival’s Hub in many ways represents the best of what the Festival is about: for many in the relaxed glow, it was chance to discover, for the first time, the sound of traditional Kyrgyz instruments from Kyrgyzstan in central Asia, which borders Kazakhstan and China. The five members are putting on an evening of traditional music and song, having developed their craft at the Ustatshakirt Centre, under the auspices of the Aga Khan Music Programme (AKMP), with whom the concert has been organised. The Programme seeks to promote traditional culture to the world by training a new generation of top Kyrgyz musicians. In an echo of what happened worldwide – including to Scots – throughout the 20th century, the language and culture of the people of Kyrgyzstan has been repressed, withdrawn from schools, and seen as obsolete and untutored. Recently, however, traditional culture has enjoyed a resurgence, and the Ensemble has appeared at many festivals and venues across East and Central Asia, and in Europe – but this was a rare chance to catch them in Scotland.