Album Notes

In Armenian, “Zulal” means “clear water.” Zulal, the a cappella trio, aims to create music that is like clear water—fluid, clean, and unconfined.

Zulal is an Armenian a cappella folk trio comprised of three women: Teni Apelian, Yeraz Markarian, and Anaïs Tekerian. Keeping to the folk tradition, Zulal writes its arrangements in an organic style, using the simplicity of voice to capture the heart of Armenia's rural music.

The vocal trio self-produced "Notes to a Crane", their second album, which includes 18 audio tracks, transliterations and English translations of all songs. In this album, the group takes Armenia’s village folk melodies and weaves intricate arrangements that pay tribute to the rural roots of the music while introducing a sophisticated lyricism and energy. Pastoral images that hint at a nation’s loss, nostalgia, hope, and pride infuse the arrangements here. A soaring crane catching a glimpse of village beauties flirting at the market below, swallows flitting above ancient stones and overgrown meadows, a shepherd boy cradling a milkmaid—these are reminders of a simpler past, tokens of comfort in the complex, modern world.

Zulal was formed in the fall of 2002, when three friends began to discuss their love for a cappella singing and their affinity for the sounds and textures of Armenian folk music. Since then, Zulal has enjoyed a coast-to-coast U.S. tour, and performed in such esteemed venues as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, the Museum of the City of New York and Boston’s Tsai Performance Center along with performances for The Near East Foundation, The Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Washington DC, the Annual Balkan Festival in New York City, and Cirque du Soleil. Nominations include "Best Folk/World Song" at the 2004 Annual Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards and "Best Folk/World Album" at the 2005 Annual Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards. Awards include "Best Vocal Traditional" and "Best Newcomer" at the 2005 7th Annual Armenian Music Awards.

For more information and tour dates, visit www.zulal.org.