KHOMUS MUSEUM IN YAKUTIA

Information about the Khomus Museum in Yakutia . At least there is a museum for Jew's harp . You can find all Jew's harps in the world .
Alexeev Ivan Egorovich is the president of this museum .

KHOMUS MUSEUMKHOMUS MUSEUM.
THE COWORKERS KHOMUS MUSEUMTHE COWORKERS KHOMUS MUSEUM .
VIRTUOS-KHOMUSIST GOGOLEVA FEDORA.VIRTUOS-KHOMUSIST GOGOLEVA FEDORA.
VIRTUOS-KHOMUSIST OGOTOEV PEOTR.VIRTUOS-KHOMUSIST OGOTOEV PEOTR.
VIRTUOS-KHOMUSIST SPIRIDON SHISHIGIN.VIRTUOS-KHOMUSIST SPIRIDON SHISHIGIN.

Address: Russia, Sakha Republic, 677027, Yakutsk-27, Kirov street, 33, tel.: 42-86-76, fax: (4112) 25-94-70
President - Alexeev Ivan Egorovich, doktor of philology, honoured Art worker of Russia, Sakha republic.

Alekseev.I.E.- khomus - improvisator, Doctor of Philological Sciences

Alekseev.I.E.- khomus - improvisator, Doctor of Philological Sciences

Alekseev.I.E.- khomus - improvisator, Doctor of Philological Sciences, Deserved worker of Culture of Russian Federation and Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). In 1988 on the Festival of Folklore Music of the People of Northen America he has met the known researchers and vargan players M.Siger, F.Crane, L.Rhoks. After returning in Yakutsk I.Alexeev put forward the idea of foundation the Khomus Museum. I.E. has presented to the future museum a unique collection of vargans which he has been collecting for many years. There were also a lot of photos, tapes, books, magazines and other materials devoted to vargan music.






Khomus museum
К.Д. УТКИН

Utkin K.D. - the first director of museum


Е.Е. ВАРЛАМОВА

Varlamova E.E. - the first scientific assistant



Director of Museum S.V.IvanovDirector of Museum S.V.Ivanov

The first specialized Museum in the world - The Khomus Museum of the World People - was founded on November 30, 1990 in Yakutsk, the capital of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

The Khomus Museum is a wonderful Kingdom of ancient music which was brought to life during the stone age period, having lived up to nowadays due to the charming sound and democracy of the smallest musical instrument in the world - the Khomus (vargan). It is made of bamboo, wood, ivory and metal. The Museum fund consists of 5.5 thousand items. 351 of them are vargans from 36 different countries.The International Center of Khomus Music had been held on January 1,1992 according to the determination of the Sakha Republic Council of Ministers by recommendation of the Second International Congress of Vargan music "Vargan: Traditions and Contemporaneity".

Having been founded earlier, the Khomus Museum of the World People had begun to work with the International Center of Khomus (Vargan) music.

Since February 25,1993 the Museum is known as the Collective Member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) of UNESCO. The main events (organizing works) were included into the program of ICOM UNESCO.

With the purpose of propagation and preservation of Khomus (vargan) music, one of the most ancient musical instrument, the International Center of Khomus music headed by I.E.Alexeev and the Khomus (Vargan) Museum of the World People (vice-president of the Center, director of Museum S.V.Ivanov) presented multiplane work: seminars, creative laboratories, competitions and festivals of khomus players and blacksmiths, exhibitions and lectures.

The schools of Khomus (vargan) playing, of improving the blacksmiths technologies are founded. Khomus classes in the vocational art institutions and universities in Kirgistan, Tuva, Bashkortostan, Yakutia and Austria are also founded. Vargan music festivals are organized by enthusiasts annually. Specialized booklets, magazines are issued in Germany, Austria, Japan, USA and Yakutia. Several parts of video serials "Music of Khomus (vargan) of the World People" are issued. National outlets in USA (the chairman F.Crane), in Austria (F.Kumpl), in Japan (L.Tadagawa), in France (Tran-Quan-Hai), in Germany (F.Mayer), in Switzerland (A.Bruhin), in Bashkortostan (R.Zagretdinov), in Tuva (V.U.Suzukei) are working now.

With growth of interest of doctors to a nature of khomus music Yakut traditional medical service made successful attempts to use the Khomus as a matter of cure. The All-Union Conference on problems of vargan music, the International Congresses of vargan music were organized in USA 1984, Yakutia 1991, Austria 1998.

The Children Republican and International festivals "Khomus charming sounds" (Yakutsk, Pokrovsk, 1999) and the First Republican Festival of Family ensembles "Khomus at the Cradel" were held for the first time according to the project "World Culture in Russia - 2000". They were dedicated to the Year of Childhood and Children Sport.

Welcome to our Museum!

Shishigin Spiridon Spiridonovich is an Outstanding worker of Public Education of the Republic of Sakha.

He has been propogating the khomus music almost 30 years, improving the performing technique and the methods of playing. He was born in Megino - Kangalassky ulus. He has been playing the khomus since he was 10. when he was a student he was playing in the Khomus ensemble “Algys” under leadership of I. E. Alexeev.

He was a participant of:

* the Days of Yakutian literature and Art in the cities of the Soviet Union (1972) Moscow, Ulyanovsk, Ufa, Irkutsk, Magadan.
* The information - propaganda measures in West - European countries (West Berlin, Federative Republic of Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France, 1987).
* The International Exhibition (Paris, 1992)
* The International Exhibition (Paris, 1996)
* The folk dancing and music festival of people of World (Rudolstadt, Germany)
* The khomus and mundharp festival “Zungenschlag” (Berlin)
* The Second International folk music festival (Fjord, Norway)
* The Second and Third International Congresses of Vargan Music (Yakutsk, 1991, Austria, 1998)
* The propaganda tour of Russia and Siberia Art around the Old World (Amsterdam, Belgia, Germany)

He has a Diploma of Winner of

* The 12th World Youth and Students Festival (Moscow, 1985)
* The First International Festival “Virtuosos of Vargan Music” (Yakutsk, 1991)

He is a Prize - Winner of

* The Fifth youth Festival of the Soviet Union (1972)
* The First, Second, Third Amateur Art Festivals of the Soviet Union (1972, 1976, 1987)

He took part at shooting video - films in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, in the Republic of Tuva. He also took part at shooting joint French - Russian film “Shaman”, where he was playing the khomus. He is an author of many articles and 4 books about the khomus.

Gogoleva Fedora Semjonovna is an active propagandist of the khomus music. She was born in Megino - Kangalassky ulus. Since her childhood she has been playing the khomus, the best of her friend.

She is a Prize - winner of Amateur Art Festival of Russia (Irkutsk,1973).
She has a Diploma of virtuoso of the First International Festival “Virtuosos of Vargan Music” (Yakutsk, 1991).
She is a participant of cultural - propaganda tour “the bridge of World” around the European countries (Switzerland, Italy, France, Turkey, Austria, Germany.1993).
She is also a participant of the folk festival in Poland (1998, 1999)
In 2000 she has visited Japan and has taken part in concerts. The vargan researches higtly appreciated her technique of the khomus playing.

Her khomus music was recorded in Japan (2000). In 1998 she took part at shooting videofilm together with Anton Bruhin (Switzerland). The produser of the film is Ivan Shumakher.

The name of the film is “Anton Bruhin and trumply”.
Now Fedora Semjonovna is working at the musical school children in the town of Yakutsk. She is a khomus playing teacher. Her pupils are often the Prize - Winners of the townis, republican and international competiions of the khomus players. She is working hard on regenaration of Yakutian native musical culture. She is a grant - holder of the fund “Child of Sakha - Asia” of the Republic of Sakha

Ogotoev Peotr Peotrovich - virtuos of vargan music

Ogotoev Peotr Peotrovich

Is the hohoured worker of Culture of the Russian Federation, the actor of the National theatre of the Republic of Sakha.

He was born in Ust-Aldansky ulus. He has been playing the khomus music since he was a small boy. He is highly professional khomus- player, he has his own unusual style of performing. He often plays the khomus with the symphonic orchestra and with the orchestra of folk inucal instruments. He is a participant of the Days of Yakutian literature and art in the central regions of the Soviet Union (Moscow, Ulyanovsk, Ufa, Irkutsk, Magadan,1972). He is an active propagandist of the Khomus music in many countries of the world ( Mongolia, Japan, Italy, Romania, Germany, Switzerland, France, America, Korea, India). He was awarded by the Diploma of Winner at the third Competition among the folk musical Instruments players of the 12 and 13 world youth and students festivals. He also has a Diplma of winner of the first International festival “ Vertuosos of Vargan Music” (Yakutsk, 1991). Peotr Peotrovich is collecting and researching khomuses, he is an author of many articles and papers. His khomus music was recorded in Moscow and Paris.