Mystical Tibet

The Mystical Tibet Concert brings rarely seen sacred dances and chants of The Tashi Lhunpo Monks Of Tibet and the evocative and haunting musical collaboration of Brisbane’s string chamber orchestra, Camerata of St John’s and Tibetan musician, Tenzin Choegyal. 

This concert of captivating and mystical music builds on the rave reviews from Camerata’s collaboration with Tenzin in their Mystical Cathedral concert last August.

Tashi Lhunpo was founded by H.H. the 1st Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Gendun Drup, in 1447. It is one of the four great monasteries of Central Tibet which was supervised and looked after by the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas and has the glory of producing thousands of renowned scholars in the field of Mahayana Buddhist Philosophy. After the invasion of Tibet in 1959, Tashi Lhunpo Monastery was re-established at Bylakuppe in South India in 1972. The monastery has monks coming from Tibet and Himalayan regions like Spithi, Khunu, Ladakh, Ghashar and Sangkhar. At present there are over 250 monks including many Tulkus (reincarnate lamas). The monks have to go through year intensive program of study of both sutra and tantra, debate, and are instructed in the creation of sand mandalas and butter sculpture, ritual performance, music, chanting, dance and basic literary skills in Tibetan and English. Each monk must also complete a two to three month meditation retreat for each of the principal deities and protectors, in order to qualify to perform their rituals. The cycle of retreats might take up to six years to complete. 

Camerata of St John’s is Queensland’s professional chamber orchestra, and takes its name from the iconic building, the nearly completed St John’s Cathedral.   Building on its reputation as ‘a treasure of an ensemble’  from an earlier incarnation, this latest version of the group established in 2005 plays the chamber orchestral ‘classics’ while also embracing adventurous programming and performing styles.

Tenzin Choegyal's voice and musical talents are unique and mesmerising. Tenzin draws on his traditional Tibetan roots to create original compositions which express his devotion to his cultural heritage. Recently at a US concert, a listener described hearing Tenzin Choegyal sing live as ‘heaven on earth’. His voice and music however are only part of his story. Tenzin was born in Tibet, escaped to Nepal and was raised in exile in Dharamsala, India. As a child, Tenzin would listen to his mother singing in the nomadic style of Tibet and he attributes much of his passion for the genre to her early influence.

“Thank you Camerata for a concert that kept us truly captivated! Whilst I managed to restrain myself from jumping up and yelling ‘Free Tibet’ after the remarkable nerve tingling experience of  the haunting Tibetan singing, the entire performance far exceeded our already high expectations.” Mike and Catherine Olsen

“Truly a magical, as well as, a mystical experience. I think we are so fortunate to have the opportunity to hear such interesting music in our beautiful cathedral. The sensitive selection of works programmed was very special. Tenzin had the power to truly express the space and landscape of Tibet “ Betty Beath, composer and pianist