Mark Van Tongeren

Mark van Tongeren is a distinguished sound explorer and performance artist specializing in the field of overtone singing, which he began studying in 1990. He holds a PhD in artistic research from Leiden University and an M.A. in ethnomusicology from the University of Amsterdam. His doctoral research, titled "Thresholds of the Audible: about the Polyphony of the Body," explores the boundaries of science and art through the lens of harmonic singing and the phenomenology of listening. He has taught world music at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and founded the vocal laboratory Paraphony to develop little-known aspects of multi-voiced harmonic singing. Van Tongeren has an extensive international performance career, spanning the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Finland, the USA, Taiwan, and Korea. In 2002, he performed as a throat singer alongside cellist Yo-Yo Ma at the Smithsonian Folklife/Silk Road Festival in Washington, D.C. He also played a pivotal role in the restoration of Dmitri Shostakovich’s lost score for the film "Odna" (1931), transcribing original Altay throat singing for the production and participating in screenings with live music, including the 2003 world premiere. Other collaborations include work with the Superstringtrio (with Rollin Rachele), 4D-Sound inventor Paul Oomen, and Taiwanese film composer Cincin Lee. His published work includes the definitive book "Overtone Singing: Harmonic Dimensions of the Human Voice" and several recordings such as "Paraphony-Extended Harmonic Techniques," "Etos and Kavel" (with Oorbeek), and "Sphere" by his ensemble Parafonia. His collaboration on the album "Deer Woman" was nominated for Taiwan’s Golden Melody Awards in 2008. Whether practicing indigenous vocal techniques in the field or performing in experimental art settings, Van Tongeren remains dedicated to exploring the resonances of the voice and space.