Irina Tumanova - Biography
Biography
Music
Music makes up her world. Music fills the paintings surrounding her, music sounds in her poetry, music is always in her heart.
That is why the very act of singing makes up her essence and is her destiny. She can externalize herself in dozens of hypostases, she can play lots of roles, but above all, what she can’t do – she can’t give up singing.
It comes as no surprise that her voice is surrounded with nearly mystical fame among true vocal connoisseurs: it rises from the deep and reaches to the greatest depths and maybe this is the very essence of her soul… She is ever changing, yet always managing to remain herself, gaining more and more charm as time goes by.
Her creative work is intended for those appreciating good style in music and having an empathetic soul. Each of her albums is a triumph. The secret is Irina Tumanova can change while remaining faithful to herself.
This bright and outstanding singer does not fit into narrow mainstream trends so familiar to regular listeners. In her genre diversity she balances between simplicity of popular music and self-consciousness of alternative music. Her noble voice can hardly be heard on the radio, however this “non-commercial” vibe keeps Irina Tumanova among the chosen singers. That is why she is always warmly welcomed at prestigious festivals both in Russia and abroad and is a welcome guest of main Russian concert venues.
Irina Tumanova is distinguished by absolutely natural voice, tracing back to Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye of the early 70’s, and stands in stark contrast to the majority of modern performers. She rejects the extremities of new-wave avant-garde, the annoying rhythms, deafening tones and electronic effects. In her songs, mainly middle tempo, Irina Tumanova relies upon traditions of mid-20th century jazz, folk music and Russian romance songs.
The demand for such style grows as trend of effects gives way to trend of high quality and exclusive performance. That is why her admirers, initially comprising a small group of skilled and sophisticated listeners, having a taste of their own, free from influence of trends, now include a “younger” and wider range of listeners.
Critics say her songs are melodic, delicate and restrained, yet full of temper – a combination typical for singer-songwriters, the so-called “singing poets”, and a rare phenomenon for those singing others’ songs. Irina appeals to a serious-minded and thinking listener. She strives to establish a dialog, not to meet somebody’s expectations, unlike most modern performers.
Today such non-standard vocals and performing manner become a real trend: gradually displacing mediocre and cloned music.
Composing music
Composing music is a necessity of her style. Style, as a special sense of harmony, begins forming a familiar space for itself. For Irina Tumanova such space is music.
As a composer Irina Tumanova has skillfully brightened many famous movies and TV series with her music, making a wonderful contribution of delicacy, which turns a soundtrack into a masterpiece of its own.
Music of Irina Tumanova does not pretend to be ultra-trendy in terms of arrangement and to fit the fashionable sounding. Neither does it provoke the critics to make a thorough analysis. The term “fashion” itself hardly can be applied here, as if Irina Tumanova existed in parallel lapse of time, where eternal values live, free of judgmental approach. However, similar to the situation in her vocal career, such independent approach surely does not place Irina Tumanova among outsiders – she has her own admirers and her music is in high demand among movie directors, TV-show authors and managers of various artistic expositions.
Musical albums of Irina Tumanova form a genuine collection of elegantly sounding tunes. Today such non-standard vocals and performing manner become a real trend: gradually displacing mediocre and cloned music.
Poetry
An understanding heart always accepts poetry as it accepts music.
Creating poetry is a necessity for Irina Tumanova, much the same as singing. The “poetic voice” of Tumanova, the singer, is unique as her vocals are.
Irina Tumanova is the author of seven poetical compilations, member of the Union of Writers, permanent juror of numerous poetical competitions and festivals. But what is more important – in her poetry she is unique, outrageous and appealing to a sentient listener, possessing keen aesthetic taste.
Tumanova’s poetry is characterized by brief phrasing combined with emotional pathos of folklore. As her fellow musicians say, her poetry is a rare case of words set to music so easily. These poems are extremely circumstantial, unveiling a broad range of feelings.
Silence Sounds Shrilly – that is how one of her compilations is titled. Her voice sounds distinctly through her poetry, which has little in common with Pushkin’s
iambus, nevertheless divides the critics’ into annoyed adherers of formal rhyme and admiring adepts of poetry. Anyway, her poetry leaves no one indifferent.
Children
Children are the strictest judges for any creator. They feel falsity like no one else and eagerly open their hearts to the true creativity. That’s why only those having crystal clear souls can find response among children; otherwise they won’t even listen. Children read the Sparks In Eyes book by Irina Tumanova with unfeigned amusement. Poems, songs, coloring pages – everything seems to be created by a kind fairy.
Development of artistic style of the individual begins from the first steps – with books mother reads to him or her, with music sounding at home. Who said that there’s not much beauty in the world? One should only learn to notice it! Tumanova writes for children, for the purpose of aesthetic education she founded the Neskuchny Garden Art Gallery, housing unique masterpieces of twentieth century, belonging to creators of an entire cultural epoch.
Despite such activity and publicity Irina Tumanova remains a wonderful mystery of modern Russian cultural life – a charming voice, aristocratically fresh traits, graceful manners and a raging flame within…