Mikhail Maltsev | Oberton Pro

Mikhail Nikolayevich Maltsev — Kylaan Uus — is a Folk Master of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and an international-class khomus maker from the Vilyuysky District. He was born on 4 April 1963 into a large family in Borogon Nasleg. Maltsev has been awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Borogon Nasleg and the badge of Excellence in Culture of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

After serving in the Soviet Army, Mikhail Nikolayevich graduated from the Yakutsk Communications Technical School and worked as a technician for many years. He has been making khomuses since 2001. Maltsev received his first lessons in the craft from his elder brother, the renowned khomus maker Kirill Kirillovich Maltsev, and later continued his training under the Folk Master Revoriy Gavrilyevich Chemchoev — Chömchöö Uus.

Maltsev’s work belongs to the Vilyuy school of khomus making. In the report on the 2009 international competition, his instruments were described as a slightly modernised variant of the traditional Sakha khomus. The set of three khomuses submitted by the maker received 8.68 points and took second place.

At the competition held as part of the Seventh International Congress and Festival “Khomus in the Cultural Space of the World” in 2011, Maltsev’s three instruments occupied the top positions in the ranking for musical qualities. The best of them received 9.44 points — the highest overall score in the competition — and took first place in the “Best Khomus in the World” category. The instrument retained the traditional form of the Sakha khomus and was decorated with a shaped plate of yellow metal set with stones.

Following his victory, Maltsev served on competition juries. At the Sakha Republic competition “Khomus — 2015”, he was named a First-Degree Laureate in the overall assessment and a Second-Degree Laureate for the instrument’s musical qualities. In 2018, the Museum and Center of the Khomus of the Peoples of the World devoted a solo exhibition to the maker. Alongside traditional khomuses, the exhibition featured the prize-winning 2011 set and the original works “Sibekki” (“Flower”) and “Sir Argyha” (“Earth’s Satellite”).