A group of Tibetan Buddhist lamas from the Drepung Loseling Monastery will perform in Ann Arbor as part of their international tour of "Sacred Music and Sacred Dance for World Healing". The performance will be on Monday, March 16 at 7:30 pm in the main hall of the beautiful St. Andrew's Episcopal Church on Division street in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Tickets are $15, $10 students and low-income, and $5 for children age 12 and under, and can be purchased at the door or in advance at the Jewel Heart Bookstore at 208 S. Ashley.
The 1998-1999 Sacred Music Sacred Dance tour is sponsored by Richard Gere Productions, Inc. and the Loseling Institute, the North American Seat of the Drepung Loseling Monastery, with the blessings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The tour has three basic purposes: to make a contribution to world healing and peace movements; to generate a greater awareness of the endangered Tibetan civilization, and to raise support for the refugee community in India.
Featured in the performance is multiphonic singing, where the monks simultaneously intone three notes of a chord. The Drepung Loseling monks are particularly renowned for this unique singing. The performance also utilizes traditional instruments such as 10-feet long dunchen trumpets, drums, bells, cymbals, and gyaling horns. Rich brocade costumes and masked dances, such as the Dance of the Sacred Snow Lion, add to the exotic splendor.
The monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery also have a very distinguished modern-day musical history. In past tours the monks have performed with Kitaro, Paul Simon, Phillip Glass, Eddie Brickell, Natalie Merchant, Patti Smith, the Beastie Boys, and the Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart. In addition, two of their recordings top ten listings in the New Age charts: Tibetan Sacred Temple Music, Shining Star Productions, California, and Sacred Music Sacred Dance for World Healing, Music and Arts program of America, Inc. California.
In 1997 the Drepung Loseling monks performed in Hollywood's two major movies on Tibet. Their music was featured on the soundtrack of the film Seven Years in Tibet, starring Brad Pitt (Columbia Pictures), and they performed with Philip Glass in Lincoln Center, NY, in the live presentation of his soundtrack to Martin Scorsese's film Kundun (Touchstone Pictures)
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The show will be opened and concluded with traditional Tibetan Buddhist blessing prayers
invoked by
Mazinga is an Ann Arbor quartet that plays "a super-powered amalgamation of (original) surf, rockabilly, and roots punk, with more than a nod to traditional Ann Arbor-based groups such as The Stooges and MC5". They carry on this (Igg-)noble tradition.
Velvet Jones is a "super-funky, louder-than-snot, who's yer daddy" band that plays original music from Detroit.
#6 and The Prisoners , of Ypsilanti, play (original) gothic, apocalyptic funk/metal.
Also be on hand for surprise appearances by very special guests.
Seven Days For Tibet is an international celebration of Tibetan culture and education about the serious and heartbreaking situation inside Tibet today. It is meant to coincide with the release of the movie "Seven Years in Tibet" starring Brad Pitt, which will open in Ann Arbor this weekend.
Our plan is to distribute ICT's action packs, which are absolutely beautiful and very informative, at the theatres to people who have just seen the movie. As we have heard that the film is very moving, people will want to know more and what can they do.
Our plan is to help them know more, and show them some things they can do.
We hope you can join us.
Sonam Dhargey , a former Tibetan monk and Chanting Master of
Gyuto Tantric College of Tibet. Sonam-la performs the ancient traditional multi-phonic
chanting technique, know as "Awesome Voice", in which he simultaneously sings three notes
of a chord. The monasteries of central Tibet comprise the only culture on earth that
cultivate this form of vocal control. He has previously performed and toured with
The Grateful Dead at the invitation of Mickey Hart. Sonam-la will also speak and further
demonstrate this amazing spiritual vocal technique.
For more information contact
Brian Siff or
Tony King 996-3673