Dharamshala, 12th April: Tenzin Choegyal, a Tibetan-Australian performer, is heading to Merimbula to take listeners on a musical journey to Tibet, according to bega district news. On Sunday, May 1, Mr. Choegyal will perform his concert ‘Be the Mountain’ at Twyford Hall in Merimbula.
He was born into a Tibetan nomad family and was driven into exile in India as his family fled tyranny in China-occupied Tibet. He recalls listening to his mother sing in the nomadic style as a child, and he credits his love of the genre to her early influence. His songs transmit the knowledge and traditions of his forefathers. He has built a successful international career as a musician, performing at major festivals such as WOMAD and multiple Tibet House concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York.
Mr. Choegyal’s soaring vocals and traditional Tibetan flute solos reflect a strong connection to the nomadic people of his homeland, drawing on his Tibetan ancestry. Mr. Choegyal, a son of Tibetan nomads, said he has a special connection to Himalayan plateau music and is committed to maintaining Tibet’s musical heritage. He explained that his music has evolved through his own journey from Tibet to India, Australia, and around the world, but wherever he is in this world, his music also connects to his homeland.
Since his arrival in Australia in 1997, the world-renowned Tibetan singer-songwriter has taken audiences on a journey through his melodic, nomad-style songs, Buddhist teachings, poetry, and lively Tibetan folk rhythms that represent the Tibetan people’s lives.
Mr. Choegyal has built a name for himself in the world of music since his debut in Australia and is now regarded as one of the best Tibetan musicians in the world. Mr. Choegyal is well-known for his mastery of Tibetan instruments such as the lingbu, a bamboo flute, and the dranyen, a three-stringed lute. He is best recognized, though, for his vocal prowess and mastery of droklu, his herding, and salt-trading parents’ nomad songs.
Songs from the Bardo, Mr. Choegyal’s most recent album, is a modern version of the Tibetan Book of the Dead. He explains that it’s a really beautiful ancient text, so Songs from the Bardo is a fusion of ancient wisdom with a very contemporary sound.
The performance will be at 4 pm on Sunday, May 1, at Twyford Hall. For bookings, visit twyfordhall.com.au or phone 02 6495 7435.
Picture Credit: ursulasweeklywanders.com