OM ART FORMATION

Om Art Formation biography
OM Art Formation

Bulgarian ethno group "OM" has been founded in 1991 by Nikolai Ivanov - musician, composer, multi instrumentalist, artist. The purpose was the creation of cross culture synthetic and plastic music, which is aiming to associate elements from the ethnic music, ambient, jazz, new-age, and minimalism. Nikolai Ivanov realized his conviction about the synthesis of East and West ideas and the global "ethnologisation" of contemporary art. OM uses instruments and motives taken from the Balkan tradition: tambura, tarambuka, bagpipe, instruments from the East-sitar, tabla, ghatam, sas, specific Tibetan singing mixed with acoustic guitar, piano, bass and electronic instruments, programming and samples . The musicians are aspiring to a maximum "opening" - they play in clubs with electronic ambience, in jazz and fusion clubs, ethno clubs and they make acoustic concerts and vanguard performances. OM and Nikolai Ivanov have made tours in France, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Norway, Croatia, Poland, Austria, Turkey, India, Nepal, and China. On May 16th, 1996 "OM" together with musicians realized the highest concert in the world - at 5345m. at Kalapatar (under Everest), which was registered in the files of Guinness. Nikolai Ivanov and OM composed the music for 25 films ,2 ballets and some theatre performances.

Band's music is heavy influenced by Shakti / McLaughlin music and often sounds as Raga-Rock. But using of many Balkan folk elements and electronics brings it to more world/new-age category as well.

Band's line up (2009):

Nikolai Ivanov - compositions, keyboards, tambura, sitar, guitars, voice, flutes

Georgi Angelov - percussion, kaval

Kostadin Genchev - kaval, duduk, wooden flutes

Mario Ivanov- el. bass