Bhutanese Musical Instruments
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The music of Bhutan is an
integral part In mathematics, an integral is the continuous analog of a sum, which is used to calculate areas, volumes, and their generalizations. Integration, the process of computing an integral, is one of the two fundamental operations of calculus,Int ...
of its
culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...
and plays a leading role in transmitting social values. Traditional
Bhutan Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia, in the Eastern Himalayas between China to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of , ...
ese music includes a wide spectrum of subgenres, ranging from folk to religious song and music. Some genres of traditional Bhutanese music intertwine vocals, instrumentation, and theatre and dance, while others are primarily vocal or instrumental. The much older traditional genres are distinguished from modern popular music such as
rigsar Rigsar (Dzongkha རིག་གསར་; Wylie: ''rig-gsar''; "new idea") is a music genre, the dominant type of popular music of Bhutan. It was originally played on a dranyen (a kind of string instrument), and dates back to the late 1960s. Th ...
.


Instruments

Instruments used in both traditional and modern genres of Bhutanese music include the
lingm The lingm (, ) is a bamboo flute indigenous to Bhutan. The lingm, the dramyin (lute) and the chiwang (fiddle) comprise the basic instrumental inventory for traditional Bhutanese folk music. There are two varieties of lingm: the ''dong lingm'' ...
(six-holed flute), the
chiwang The ''chiwang'' (Dzongkha: སྤྱི་དབང་; Wylie: ''spyi-dbang'') is a type of fiddle played in Bhutan. The ''chiwang'', the ''lingm'' (flute), and the '' dramyen'' (lute) comprise the basic instrumental inventory for traditional Bh ...
(Tibetan two-stringed fiddle), and the dramnyen (similar to a large three-stringed
rebec The rebec (sometimes rebecha, rebeckha, and other spellings, pronounced or ) is a bowed stringed instrument of the Medieval era and the early Renaissance. In its most common form, it has a narrow boat-shaped body and one to five strings. Origins ...
); modern musicians often update these instruments for use in
rigsar Rigsar (Dzongkha རིག་གསར་; Wylie: ''rig-gsar''; "new idea") is a music genre, the dominant type of popular music of Bhutan. It was originally played on a dranyen (a kind of string instrument), and dates back to the late 1960s. Th ...
. Other traditional instruments include tangtang namborong (four-holed bamboo bass flute), kongkha (bamboo mouth harp), and gombu (bull or buffalo horn). Newer instruments include the yangchen, brought from
Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
in the 1960s. While Bhutanese folk music often employs stringed instruments, religious music usually does not. Unlike many countries, Bhutanese
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...
is almost never incorporated into
popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...
.


Religious music

Bhutan Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia, in the Eastern Himalayas between China to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of , ...
was first united in the 17th century, during the reign of Zhabdrung
Ngawang Namgyal Ngawang Namgyal (; alternate spellings include ''Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel;'' 1594–1651), known colloquially as ''The Bearded Lama'', was a Tibetan Buddhist Drukpa Kagyu school Rinpoche, and the unifier of Bhutan as a nation-state. He was lat ...
(1594–1652); the same period saw a great blossoming of folk music and dance. Religious music is usually chanted, and its lyrics and dance often reenact
namtar Namtar () was a figure in ancient Mesopotamian religion who, depending on the context, could be regarded both as a minor god and as a demon of disease. He is best attested as the sukkal (attendant deity) of Ereshkigal, the goddess of the underwor ...
s, spiritual biographies of saints, and feature distinctive masks and costumes. Today, Bhutan has a robust tradition of monastic song and music not normally heard by the general public. The language used in these lyrics is generally Chöke. ;Cham The
Cham dance The cham dance () entry: 'cham. is a lively masked and costumed dance associated with some sects of Tibetan Buddhism and Buddhist festivals. The dance is accompanied by music played by bhikkhu, monks using traditional Tibetan musical instruments ...
is one of the most conspicuous religious musical subgenres in Bhutan, and is shared among Tibetan Buddhists in
Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
and in other countries, having roots in the 8th century. Lama and founder of Bhutan Zhabdrung
Ngawang Namgyal Ngawang Namgyal (; alternate spellings include ''Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel;'' 1594–1651), known colloquially as ''The Bearded Lama'', was a Tibetan Buddhist Drukpa Kagyu school Rinpoche, and the unifier of Bhutan as a nation-state. He was lat ...
is also credited with introducing many masked dances into Bhutanese tradition. Performed during modern Bhutanese
tsechu A tshechu (, literally "tenth day") is any of the annual religious Bhutanese festivals held in each district or dzongkhag of Bhutan on the tenth day of a month of the lunar Tibetan calendar. The month depends on the place. Tshechus are religious ...
s (festivals), cham dances act both to achieve enlightenment and to destroy evil forces in a sort of
ritual purification Ritual purification is a ritual prescribed by a religion through which a person is considered to be freed of ''uncleanliness'', especially prior to the worship of a deity, and ritual purity is a state of ritual cleanliness. Ritual purification ...
. Ordinary people watch cham dances in order to receive a spiritual benefit and merit. The music and choreography of the cham dance are heavily associated with
Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, D ...
, however some common features derive directly from the
Bön Bon or Bön (), also known as Yungdrung Bon (, ), is the indigenous Tibetan religion which shares many similarities and influences with Tibetan Buddhism.Samuel 2012, pp. 220–221. It initially developed in the tenth and eleventh centuries but ...
religion. The Dramyin Cham in particular is a focal point of many modern
tsechu A tshechu (, literally "tenth day") is any of the annual religious Bhutanese festivals held in each district or dzongkhag of Bhutan on the tenth day of a month of the lunar Tibetan calendar. The month depends on the place. Tshechus are religious ...
s.


Folk music

The influence of Drukpa Buddhism and
Buddhist music file:Left image detail, Kanjur Chinese Collection 196, inside cover Wellcome L0031389 (cropped).jpg, Tibetan illustration of Saraswati holding a veena, the main deity of music and musicians in Mahayana Buddhism Buddhist music is music (, ) crea ...
on Bhutanese culture is such that many folk songs and chanting styles are derived from Drukpa music. While some
lama Lama () is a title bestowed to a realized practitioner of the Dharma in Tibetan Buddhism. Not all monks are lamas, while nuns and female practitioners can be recognized and entitled as lamas. The Tibetan word ''la-ma'' means "high mother", ...
s and monks are credited for composing certain Bhutanese folk music, the majority of its creators are unknown or anonymous. Like religious music, the lyrics of folk music are most often in literary
Dzongkha Dzongkha (; ) is a Tibeto-Burman languages, Tibeto-Burman language that is the official and national language of Bhutan. It is written using the Tibetan script. The word means "the language of the fortress", from ' "fortress" and ' "language ...
or Chöke, however there are also several traditional songs in
Khengkha The Khengkha language (Dzongkha ྨཕགལཔམཕ), or Kheng, is an East Bodish language spoken by ~40,000 native speakers worldwide, in the Zhemgang, Trongsa, and Mongar districts of south–central Bhutan. Classification Khengkha is a d ...
and Bumthangkha. Vocal and behavioral discipline for traditional singing requires thorough training in order to master the correct pitch, facial expressions, gestures, and overall conduct while performing. Along with traditional music, masked dances and dance dramas are common participatory components of folk music, and feature prominently at Bhutanese
tsechu A tshechu (, literally "tenth day") is any of the annual religious Bhutanese festivals held in each district or dzongkhag of Bhutan on the tenth day of a month of the lunar Tibetan calendar. The month depends on the place. Tshechus are religious ...
s (festivals). Energetic dancers wearing colorful wooden or composition face masks employ special costumes and music to depict a panoply of heroes, demons, death heads, animals, gods, and caricatures of common people. The dances enjoy royal patronage and preserve not only ancient folk and religious customs but also perpetuate the art of mask making. Bhutanese folk songs include a variety of subgenres, including '' zhungdra'' and '' boedra'', as well as several minor varieties such as ''zhey'' and ''zhem'', ''yuedra'', ''tsangmo'', ''alo'', ''khorey'', and ''ausa''. Traditional song and dance are also an integral part of archery in Bhutan, known for lyrics that range from literary and sublime to provocative and burlesque. ;Zhungdra Zhungdra (
Dzongkha Dzongkha (; ) is a Tibeto-Burman languages, Tibeto-Burman language that is the official and national language of Bhutan. It is written using the Tibetan script. The word means "the language of the fortress", from ' "fortress" and ' "language ...
: གཞུང་སྒྲ་; Wylie: ''gzhung-sgra''; "center music") is one of the two dominant forms of Bhutanese folk music. It was developed in the 17th century, and is associated with the folk music of the central valleys of Paro,
Thimphu Thimphu (; ) is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan, and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's '' dzongkhags'', the Thimphu District. The ancient capital city of Punakha was replac ...
, and
Punakha Punakha () is the administrative centre of Punakha dzongkhag, one of the 20 districts of Bhutan. Punakha was the capital of Bhutan and the seat of government until 1955, when the capital was moved to Thimphu. It is about 72 km away from Thim ...
, the heart of the Ngalop cultural area. Although considered secular, the lyrics of zhungdra songs often tell
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
allegories, such as ''Yak Legbi Lhadar'', in which the singer tells of his former life as a yak slaughtered in connection with a non-Buddhist ritual in the
Gasa District Gasa District (; , also ) is one of the 20 dzongkhags (districts) comprising Bhutan. The capital of Gasa District is Gasa Dzong near Gasa. It is located in the far north of the county and spans the Middle and High regions of the Tibetan Hima ...
. Zhungdra is characterized by the use of extended vocal tones in complex patterns which slowly decorate a relatively simple instrumental melody. Untrained singers, even those with natural singing ability, typically find it challenging to sing zhungdra. This has reduced the popularity of zhungdra compared with
rigsar Rigsar (Dzongkha རིག་གསར་; Wylie: ''rig-gsar''; "new idea") is a music genre, the dominant type of popular music of Bhutan. It was originally played on a dranyen (a kind of string instrument), and dates back to the late 1960s. Th ...
, the fast-paced
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
Bhutanese music style based on electronic
synthesizer A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...
s. ;Boedra Boedra (
Dzongkha Dzongkha (; ) is a Tibeto-Burman languages, Tibeto-Burman language that is the official and national language of Bhutan. It is written using the Tibetan script. The word means "the language of the fortress", from ' "fortress" and ' "language ...
: བོད་སྒྲ་; Wylie: ''bod-sgra''; "
Tibetan music The music of Tibet ( zh, 藏族音乐) reflects the cultural heritage of the trans-Himalayan region centered in Tibet, but also known wherever ethnic Tibetan groups are found in Nepal, Bhutan, India and further abroad. The religious music of ...
") is the second of the two dominant forms of Bhutanese folk music. Instrumentation for boedra often includes the
chiwang The ''chiwang'' (Dzongkha: སྤྱི་དབང་; Wylie: ''spyi-dbang'') is a type of fiddle played in Bhutan. The ''chiwang'', the ''lingm'' (flute), and the '' dramyen'' (lute) comprise the basic instrumental inventory for traditional Bh ...
, which symbolizes a
horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...
. In contrast to Zhungdra, Boedra evolved out of Tibetan court music. ;Zhey and zhem The paired zhey and zhem (
Dzongkha Dzongkha (; ) is a Tibeto-Burman languages, Tibeto-Burman language that is the official and national language of Bhutan. It is written using the Tibetan script. The word means "the language of the fortress", from ' "fortress" and ' "language ...
: གཞས་/གཞས་མོ་; Wylie: ''gzhas''/''gzhas-mo'') are elaborately choreographed vocal performances often performed during
tsechu A tshechu (, literally "tenth day") is any of the annual religious Bhutanese festivals held in each district or dzongkhag of Bhutan on the tenth day of a month of the lunar Tibetan calendar. The month depends on the place. Tshechus are religious ...
s (festivals). They contain elements of both zhungdra and boedra. The quick-stepped zhey are performed by men, while the more flowing zhem are women's dances. Zheys originate in the 17th century, and although there is considerable variety among contemporary zheys, most of them share common tunes and dance formats. Dancers originally performed barefoot and without any elaborate uniform, however the tradition of wearing long gowns, headgear and traditional boots was established in the 1970s. In honor of the 2011 royal wedding, Bhutanese dancers performed four major zheys (Goen Zhey of
Gasa GASA Group (''Gartnernes Salgsforeninger''; "co-operative marketing organisations") is a Danish company that imports and exports flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Founded in 1929 as a fruit, flowers and vegetable auction co-operative, the mul ...
, Wang Zhey of
Thimphu Thimphu (; ) is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan, and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's '' dzongkhags'', the Thimphu District. The ancient capital city of Punakha was replac ...
, Nub Zhey of
Trongsa Trongsa, previously Tongsa (, ), is a Thromde or town, and the capital of Trongsa District in central Bhutan. The name means "new village" in Dzongkha. The first temple was built in 1543 by the Drukpa lama Ngagi Wangchuck, who was the great-gran ...
, Woochupai Zhey of Paro) and four minor zheys (Auley of Laya, Locho of Sha, Bonghur Zhey of Haa, and Miritsemoi Zhey of Chukha). The Goen Zhey is of central importance among all zheys. Its origins lie in the coming of Zhabdrung
Ngawang Namgyal Ngawang Namgyal (; alternate spellings include ''Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel;'' 1594–1651), known colloquially as ''The Bearded Lama'', was a Tibetan Buddhist Drukpa Kagyu school Rinpoche, and the unifier of Bhutan as a nation-state. He was lat ...
, the founder of Bhutan. According to tradition, when he came in 1616 to at Bangdekha below Wakeyla, a place between
Gasa GASA Group (''Gartnernes Salgsforeninger''; "co-operative marketing organisations") is a Danish company that imports and exports flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Founded in 1929 as a fruit, flowers and vegetable auction co-operative, the mul ...
and Laya, the people of Goen in Gasa offered the elaborate dance. Requiring two days and 21 dancers to complete, the dance has 25 intricate steps. Dancers wear red woolen
gho The gho or g'ô (, ) is the traditional and national dress for men in Bhutan. Introduced in the 17th century by Ngawang Namgyal, 1st Zhabdrung Rinpoche, to give the Ngalop people a more distinctive identity, it is a knee-length robe tied at the ...
, black tego undershirt, and red-and-white
kabney A kabney (, Wylie: ''bkab-ne'') is a silk sash worn as a part of the gho, the traditional male attire in Bhutan.Gyurme Dorje. ''Footprint Bhutan''. Footprint, 004 . Section "National dress", p 261 It is raw silk, normally with fringes. Kabney ...
in the fashion of ancient warriors. The zheypon (dance master) wears an elaborate headdress. The Woochhu Zhey, from the Wochu Village ("Jackal River Village"; modern Woochhu Village in Lungnyi Gewog, Paro), also bases its origin in Zhabdrung
Ngawang Namgyal Ngawang Namgyal (; alternate spellings include ''Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel;'' 1594–1651), known colloquially as ''The Bearded Lama'', was a Tibetan Buddhist Drukpa Kagyu school Rinpoche, and the unifier of Bhutan as a nation-state. He was lat ...
, first performed by a lama in the procession to receive the Zhabdrung. One particularly endangered performance is the Wang Zhey of
Thimphu Thimphu (; ) is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan, and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's '' dzongkhags'', the Thimphu District. The ancient capital city of Punakha was replac ...
. According to tradition, it began with a commoner from the Wang valley who went to Laya. On his way, he stopped at the
Gasa GASA Group (''Gartnernes Salgsforeninger''; "co-operative marketing organisations") is a Danish company that imports and exports flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Founded in 1929 as a fruit, flowers and vegetable auction co-operative, the mul ...
tshechu A tshechu (, literally "tenth day") is any of the annual religious Bhutanese festivals held in each district or dzongkhag of Bhutan on the tenth day of a month of the lunar Tibetan calendar. The month depends on the place. Tshechus are religio ...
where he saw Goen Zhey for the first time. Inspired, he stayed to learn it. After returning to Wang, he taught his people the zhey in exchange for a fee of salt for every song. In 1620, with small changes, it was performed in
Thimphu Thimphu (; ) is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan, and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's '' dzongkhags'', the Thimphu District. The ancient capital city of Punakha was replac ...
during the consecration ceremony of
Chagri Monastery Chagri Dorjeden Monastery, also called Cheri Monastery, is a Buddhist monastery in Bhutan established in 1620 by Ngawang Namgyal, 1st Zhabdrung Rinpoche, the founder of the Bhutanese state. The monastery, now a major teaching and retreat cen ...
. Thereafter, it was performed regularly in receptions for important
Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
an Drukpa
lama Lama () is a title bestowed to a realized practitioner of the Dharma in Tibetan Buddhism. Not all monks are lamas, while nuns and female practitioners can be recognized and entitled as lamas. The Tibetan word ''la-ma'' means "high mother", ...
s. Though the Wang Zhey was once routine in rabneys, archery matches, and weddings of well-to-do families, it is now less frequently performed, and young Bhutanese do not know its significance. ;Tsangmo Tsangmo (
Dzongkha Dzongkha (; ) is a Tibeto-Burman languages, Tibeto-Burman language that is the official and national language of Bhutan. It is written using the Tibetan script. The word means "the language of the fortress", from ' "fortress" and ' "language ...
: ཙང་མོ་; Wylie: ''tsang-mo''), also considered a literary genre, are very popular in Bhutan. They consist of sung couplets, the first of which describes a relevant scenario, followed by the second couplet, which conveys a point such as love, hate, abuse, or ridicule. Tsangmo may be sung in a call-and-reply fashion, and may be a means of competition. ;Lozey Lozey (
Dzongkha Dzongkha (; ) is a Tibeto-Burman languages, Tibeto-Burman language that is the official and national language of Bhutan. It is written using the Tibetan script. The word means "the language of the fortress", from ' "fortress" and ' "language ...
: བློ་ཟེ་; Wylie: ''blo-ze''), literally translated as "ornaments of speech," refer to two distinct vocal traditions. The first is a short exchange lines, while the second is a collection of ballads that vary from region to region. They all concern traditional customs, dress, and literature. Rich in metaphor, they are known and recited by ordinary people in modern language. Like Tsangmo, Lozey may be sung in a call-and-reply fashion, and may be a means of competition. Certain Lozey are sung in vernacular language.


Popular music

The modern popular
rigsar Rigsar (Dzongkha རིག་གསར་; Wylie: ''rig-gsar''; "new idea") is a music genre, the dominant type of popular music of Bhutan. It was originally played on a dranyen (a kind of string instrument), and dates back to the late 1960s. Th ...
genre (
Dzongkha Dzongkha (; ) is a Tibeto-Burman languages, Tibeto-Burman language that is the official and national language of Bhutan. It is written using the Tibetan script. The word means "the language of the fortress", from ' "fortress" and ' "language ...
རིག་གསར་; Wylie: ''rig-gsar''; "new type") emerged in the 1960s. Rigsar can be contrasted from most traditional music in its updated electronic instrumentation, faster rhythm, and vernacular language, especially
Dzongkha Dzongkha (; ) is a Tibeto-Burman languages, Tibeto-Burman language that is the official and national language of Bhutan. It is written using the Tibetan script. The word means "the language of the fortress", from ' "fortress" and ' "language ...
and Tsangla. Its context can also be contrasted, as rigsar is a common feature of Bhutanese television and film. Some of the earliest rigsar tunes were translations of contemporary popular
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
songs. The first Bhutanese rigsar hit was ''Zhendi Migo'', covered the popular
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
filmi Filmi () music soundtracks are music produced for India's mainstream motion picture industry and written and performed for Cinema of India, Indian cinema. In cinema, List of Indian film music directors, music directors make up the main body of c ...
song ''"Sayonara"'' from the film ''
Love in Tokyo ''Love In Tokyo'' is a 1966 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film directed and produced by Pramod Chakravorty. The film was a hit at the box office. Plot A young man Ashok's ( Joy Mukherjee) mother makes him go to Tokyo, Japan in search of ...
''. Since the 1960s, a great number of Bhutanese artists have covered or produced a staggering volume of rigsar music. Rigsar gained popularity on the
Bhutan Broadcasting Service The Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS, ) is a state-funded radio and television service in Bhutan. A public service corporation which is fully funded by the state and it is the only service to offer both radio and television in the kingdom, and is ...
, making way for the
rigsar Rigsar (Dzongkha རིག་གསར་; Wylie: ''rig-gsar''; "new idea") is a music genre, the dominant type of popular music of Bhutan. It was originally played on a dranyen (a kind of string instrument), and dates back to the late 1960s. Th ...
band Tashi Nyencha to establish the first recording studio in
Thimphu Thimphu (; ) is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan, and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's '' dzongkhags'', the Thimphu District. The ancient capital city of Punakha was replac ...
in 1991. Prior to this period, Bhutanese people primarily listened to
filmi Filmi () music soundtracks are music produced for India's mainstream motion picture industry and written and performed for Cinema of India, Indian cinema. In cinema, List of Indian film music directors, music directors make up the main body of c ...
and other kinds of
Indian pop Indian pop music, also known as I-pop or Indi-pop, refers to pop music produced in India that is independent from filmi soundtracks for Indian cinema. Indian pop is closely linked to Bollywood, Tollywood, Pollywood, Kollywood and the Asian ...
music.
Rigsar Rigsar (Dzongkha རིག་གསར་; Wylie: ''rig-gsar''; "new idea") is a music genre, the dominant type of popular music of Bhutan. It was originally played on a dranyen (a kind of string instrument), and dates back to the late 1960s. Th ...
is the dominant style of Bhutanese popular music, and dates back to the late 1980s. The first major music star was Shera Lhendup, whose career began after the 1981 hit "Jalam Jalam Gi Ashi". By the end of the 1980s,
rigsar Rigsar (Dzongkha རིག་གསར་; Wylie: ''rig-gsar''; "new idea") is a music genre, the dominant type of popular music of Bhutan. It was originally played on a dranyen (a kind of string instrument), and dates back to the late 1960s. Th ...
was no longer so popular, its detractors citing repetitive, simple tunes that were often copied directly from foreign music. Since 1995, with founding of the Norling Drayang recording label, rigsar has returned to relative popularity as a fusion of elements and instruments from English language pop, Indian and
Nepalese music Music of Nepal refers to the various musical genres played and listened to in Nepal. With more than fifty ethnic groups in Nepal, the country's music is highly diverse. Genres like Tamang Selo, Madheshi Hori, Chaitawar, Chhathiyaar dhun, Chyabrun ...
. Rigsar remains ubiquitous in Bhutan, heard in on public streets, in taxis, and on buses, and even used by the government to deliver health and sanitation education. There is also a small underground metal scene with bands like Forsaken Bhutan has also been seeing a boom in the popular music such as the B-Pop show that was held to promote creativity in May 2018 by M-Studio in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Communications.


Institutions

The
Royal Academy of Performing Arts The Royal Academy of Performing Arts (RAPA) renamed as the Traditional Performing Arts and Music Division is a Bhutanese government body within the Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development, that supports the preser ...
(RAPA) has worked under royal prerogative to document, preserve, and promote traditional Bhutanese music, song, and dance since 1954. Its activities are overseen by the
Ministry of Home Affairs An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement. In some states, the i ...
of the
Government of Bhutan The government of Bhutan has been a constitutional monarchy since 18 July 2008. The King of Bhutan is the head of state. The executive power is exercised by the Lhengye Zhungtshog, or council of ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. Legisla ...
. The Academy's performers participate in festivals, tour schools within Bhutan, and perform for
tourists Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
. The Institute of Language and Cultural Studies (ILCS) at Semtokha,
Thimphu Thimphu (; ) is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan, and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's '' dzongkhags'', the Thimphu District. The ancient capital city of Punakha was replac ...
, was the only university level institute to offer elective courses on traditional and modern Bhutanese music, song, and dance as of 2003. Aa-Yang Ensemble, started by Jigme Drukpa in 2010, is a private performing group. The ensemble includes members from north, east and south of Bhutan, making it one of the more culturally diverse music groups in Bhutan. In 2013 the group toured Sweden for 23 days. Khuju Luyang, a private performing arts group with international stage presence. Khuju Luyang won the folk music and dance competition in 2006 and received the silver medal from the Royal Government of Bhutan for preservation of folk dance and music.


See also

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Cham dance The cham dance () entry: 'cham. is a lively masked and costumed dance associated with some sects of Tibetan Buddhism and Buddhist festivals. The dance is accompanied by music played by bhikkhu, monks using traditional Tibetan musical instruments ...
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Culture of Bhutan Cradled in the folds of the Himalayas, Bhutan has relied on its geographical isolation to protect itself from outside cultural influences. A sparsely populated country bordered by India to the south, and China to the north, Bhutan has long mai ...
* Drayang *
Rigsar Rigsar (Dzongkha རིག་གསར་; Wylie: ''rig-gsar''; "new idea") is a music genre, the dominant type of popular music of Bhutan. It was originally played on a dranyen (a kind of string instrument), and dates back to the late 1960s. Th ...
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Royal Academy of Performing Arts The Royal Academy of Performing Arts (RAPA) renamed as the Traditional Performing Arts and Music Division is a Bhutanese government body within the Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development, that supports the preser ...


References

{{Bhutanese society
Bhutanese music The music of Bhutan is an integral part of its culture and plays a leading role in transmitting social values. Traditional Bhutanese music includes a wide spectrum of subgenres, ranging from folk to religious song and music. Some genres of tradi ...