Duo Zikr is a vocal duo which uses classic vocal technique, antique Tibet vibration techniques and, originally, Slavic Folk and Religious singing. Origins Duo Zikr is the duet of vocal improvisations of Igor Silin and Olga Tkachenko - the only Magic Theatre of Voice in the world whose art compels the audience to experience the whole range of human emotions. “Zikr” is Arabian for “Prayer” – a spiritual practice aimed at revelation of an internal sense of divine presence. The Art of Igor and Olga unites profound philosophy and unique combinations of vocal techniques with chamber and folk vocals, Tibetan Mantra vocal techniques, Tuvan guttural singing, Sufi Zikr, Orthodox rites and more. The vocal range of the duet composes 4 octaves. In yet 25 years of creative activity Duo Zikr has cut over 30 discs, held concerts almost in every part of the world, and cooperated with many famous musicians: among them Boris Grebenshikov, Sergei Kurekhin, Andrei Samsonov, and Givan Gasparian. Viacheslav Zaytsev, the famous Russian couturier, has designed original stage costumes exclusively for the Duo and now plans to hold a fashion show accompanied by music of the magic theatre of voice. The voices of Igor Silin and Olga Tkachenko, according to him, “Calls up Stone Age-old associations, when there weren’t defined scales to play, in a time when the voice echoed the sound of water, rustle of leaves and peals of thunder...” Duo Zikr was created in the early 1990s within the walls of “The Fireflower” drama school of Igor Silin (Kalinauskas), where Olga Tkachenko was mastering a unique vocal technique based on mantra singing elaborated by Igor. After Igor had realized the natural vocal talent and striking capacity for work of his apprentice he offered Olga to sing a whole performance together. The opening performance of the magic theatre took place in 1993 in St. Petersburg at Smolny Cathedral. The debut of the Duo with no playbills placarded gathered about 1000 spectators! Fifteen compact discs have been made together with the famous Russian sound producer Yuri Morozov, and two albums were cut on vinyl - and symbolically one of them “The Mystery of the Cup” became the very last vinyl disk produced by the renowned Soviet record company “Melodia”. The albums “To the Beginning of Times” and “To the Twilight of Times” were recorded in France on the invitation of Daniel Kenzo, a European saxophonist. Boris Grebenshikov