Thyrans (Race - Human)

The Thyrans (The-rans, first syllable sounds like the beginning of "Thebes") are a human race native to the nation of Thyra. They were created by Aethra, the goddess of wind and speech.

Music
Music is immensely important to the Thyrans, as it is seen as an extension of their goddess's gift of breath. As such, wind instruments and the voice are the most highly valued musical forms. Performers of these forms are known as arias and are selected at a young age to receive special training at music schools. Due to the gender of the goddess and the fact that the female voice does not change with age as male voices do, most voce-arias are female, and most strumento-arias are male, often adult males who performed as voce-arias during their childhood.

Non-wind instruments are still valued, but nowhere near as highly, as the Thyrans do not yet fathom the science of sound: that all sound is actually vibrations of the air. Non-arias are musicians who perform string or percussion instruments and are usually not allowed more than the most cursory of positions at the music schools.