Presented by Tenzin Choegyal and the OzAsia Festival
Reviewed Saturday 25th September 2010
http://www.ozasiafestival.com.au
Venue: ArtSpace, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: Only one performance
Duration: 1hr
Like many before them, Tenzin Choegyal’s parents fled Tibet and escaped to Nepal. He was raised in Dharamsala, a Tibetan refugee community in India. He now lives in Queensland and is no stranger to Adelaide audiences through his Womadelaide appearances. On this occasion he also created a sand mandala as a part of his contribution to the OzAsia Festival.
With him were two Tibetan Buddhist monks in exile, the Venerable Karma Gyasey and Jamyang Sherab, and they began by chanting a prayer. This was in three sections and included the use of cymbals and bell. The spiritual influence on the performance created by this ceremony continued throughout the concert. Tenzin Choegyal writes his own songs and these included a setting of the Heart Sutra and, later in the performance, a song that included the best known of all mantras, Om Mani Padme Hum (referred to as The Jewel in the Lotus). He accompanied himself on the dranyen, a Tibetan lute, and also played a solo on the lingbu, the Tibetan transverse flute.
That spiritual feeling continued even in songs that did not have an obviously direct connection to Buddhist thought, even into the love songs. This feeling of embedded spirituality seemed to come directly from his strong vocals, based on a Tibetan style designed to carry long distances across the valleys of the Himalayas.
Tenzin Choegyal’s high level of musicianship, his amazing voice and strong connection to his Tibetan heritage, coupled with his innovative approach to modern Tibetan music and his deep spirituality made this a very special concert.
Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Arts Editor, Glam Adelaide.
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