Nachyn Choodu

Nachyn Choodu was born on 27 December 1978 in the town of Balgazyn, in the Tangdy district of central Tuva. As a child, he learned xöömei (throat singing), traditional Tuvan instruments, and ancient Tuvan songs from his older relatives. While attending the College of the Arts in Kyzyl he joined Tuva Ensemble and sang alongside luminaries of Tuvan music such as Ayas Danzyryn, Mergen Chainxöö, Möngün-ool Ondar, and Zhenya Saryglar.

In 2004, Nachyn left the Tuva Ensemble and joined the Tuvan National Orchestra. He toured Japan and Europe, and performed regularly with his wife, Shonchalai Oorzhak-Choodu, a Merited Artist of Tuva, who is featured in this video. Their duet performance won first prize in the 2008 Xöömei Symposium in Tuva (video).

Nachyn possessed unparalleled skill on the byzaanchy and chadagan, and he was considered a living repository of many rarely heard old songs of Tuva. He performed with Alash from 2008 through 2011. In 2011, he was awarded the title "Distinguished Artist of Tuva." In 2013, he became director of the Tuva Ensemble.

Tragically, on 30 June 2021, Nachyn died suddenly at the age of 42.