Munojot Yoʻlchiyeva (born 1960), also known under the Russian form of her name, Munadjat Yulchieva, a performer of classical Uzbek music and its Persian-language cousin Shashmaqâm.

Yoʻlchiyeva was born in 1960 in the Buloqboshi district of Andijan region in Ferghâna valley near Tashkent, and from an early age it was obvious she had a great gift as a singer.

This nearly resulted in her being channelled into a career as an opera singer, but she was inexorably drawn towards the slow, aching music of her own ancient culture, something that seemed almost pre-ordained by her name, which means 'ascent to God' or simply 'prayer'.

Typically the group use local instruments such as the dutar (two stringed lute), the tanbur (3-stinged lute), a gidjak spike fiddle, doira frame drum, ney flute and at times the chang zither.

Those lucky enough to attend one of her rare concerts abroad will witness a sumptuously dressed performer of startling gravitas and charisma, with long pigtails trailing down to her waist.