Music of Buryatia

Narrative structures are a part of most Buryat folk music, often in the form of epic tales, and the last song of famous leaders; these include the Last Song of Rinchin Dorzhin.

Under Soviet control, Buryat folk music was sanitized and mostly allowed in forms that were supportive of the state's power. This period saw state-approved songs recollecting events such as the Civil War and the Great Patriotic War.

The first Buryat rock band was Uragsha, who were one of the few bands of the time to sing both in Russian and their native Mongolian language. Their collaborations with La MaMa theater in New York City in late 1990s led to their embrace of traditional music and shamanic roots too, and eventually to formation of the group Namgar that represents Buryat traditional music at world music festivals since 2001.

Vladlen Pantaev is also a notable Buryat musician; one of the key composers of Buryat folk music. He has devoted many years to the National Theater in Ulan-Ude. Many of his songs are widely recognized in the region.