Khashyar | July 18, 2009

Techung, the Tibetan artist who is the featured musician on the “Dalai Lama Renaissance” soundtrack, has been making much news lately, including embarking on an international tour.

He also has launched his new website: www.techung.com

Here are some recent quotes about Techung from some notable people and in the press:

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I had the pleasure of working with Techung, the young Tibetan singer at a recent concert at Carnegie Hall(February 3,2009). He is a highly gifted singer, bursting with talent and personality. I think he is an unusually attractive performer and clearly has the potential to appeal to an audience far beyond the ethnic Tibetan community who already know him quite well. A young man of such talent representing the culture, as it were, of this exiled and oppressed community, could very well have the effect of bringing greater attention to the problems faced by Tibetans living inside and outside of Tibet.

I wish him and those who support him the very best success.

- Philip Glass, March 27, 2009

“Techung” (aka Tashi D. Sharzur) is an exceptional Tibetan musical talent: rigorously trained as an opera “star” by the grand masters of Lhamo, the traditional opera, at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, and with the a life-long background in Tibetan folk music. In recent years, he has written and performed dozens of new songs. While each song appears unmistakably Tibetan and traditional, they are in reality modern compositions with contemporary lyrics, often his own. “Yarlung-Tibetan Songs of Love and Freedom” is an outstanding example of new Tibetan music that will reach a global audience.

- Tenzin N. Tethong
former representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and “Kalon Tripa” of the Tibetan Government in Exile.

December 17, 2008

Interview with Taipei Times

“Tibet musician plays in Taiwan on world tour
FAR FROM HOME: Though he was born outside Tibet, musician Techung has dedicated his life to raising awareness of Tibet’s culture and its political plight …”

May 25, 2008

The Phillippine Star, World Music Under the Stars

“His eyes are as hauntingly serene as his voice, singing of a homeland he has never seen. His call for courage - Nying Thop - cuts through the balmy night air and floats off, carrying the message to his countrymen scattered all over the world: “Never lose courage.”

Techung, a prominent Tibetan singer-songwriter, was one of the most anticipated acts in the recently concluded 2nd Penang World Music Festival, which …”

For complete press information visit: www.sonicbids.com/techung

Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPTgd29adnk
http://www.youtube.com/user/LimitlessSkyRecords
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcgeqt2Y9IA

Category: News, News about "Dalai Lama Renaissance" | No Comments »
Tags: carnegie hall, Dalai Lama, philip glass, taipei times, tashi, tibetan community, tibetan government in exile, tibetan institute of performing arts, tibetan music, tibetan singer, traditional opera

Khashyar | March 3, 2009

CLEVELAND,OHIO- Renown Tibetan musician Techung, who wrote and recorded all of the Tibet music for ”Dalai Lama Renaissance”, and who recently peformed at Carnegie Hall with Phillip Glass, will be joining “Dalai Lama Renaissance” Producer-Director Khashyar Darvich for Q&A’s at the Cleveland Cinemateque in Cleveland, Ohio.

Techung will join Khashyar at the Saturday 7:30 p.m. and Sunday 4 p.m. screenings of the film at the Cleveland Cinemateque.

Techung is one of the most respected Tibetan musicians in the world, with his music used in other films.

His biography is below:

Tashi Dhondup Sharzur (Contributing Music)

Techung is a prominent Tibetan singer/songwriter living in exile in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is best known for his performances of traditional Tibetan music, dance, and opera under the name Tashi Dhondup Sharzur. He uses his childhood nickname, Techung, when performing as a solo artist. Whether performing in traditional or contemporary styles, Techung’s dual goals are to revive Tibetan music in the Tibetan community and to expose the rich performing cultural tradition of his homeland to the world community. In addition to being looked up to as one of the key keepers of traditional Tibetan musical traditions, Techung is also respected for the original solo and collaborative music he creates by drawing on both his own heritage and his familiarity with other world music traditions. Techung’s voice and music have been featured on the soundtracks of the IMAX film “Everest,” the feature film “Windhorse,” the documentary films “Stranger in My Native Land,” “Tibet’s Stolen Child,” and “Three Days for Tibet” (about a concert in Dharamsala with Joan Osborne, Zakir Hussein and other musicians). His music was also featured on PSA’s for the Milarepa Fund (promoting the 1999 Tibetan Freedom Concert), Students’ For a Free Tibet’s DVD demo “Tibet Will Be Free”, and Amnesty International (soliciting support for the human rights case of Ven. Palden Gyatso), as well as on an audio book by Diki Tsering titled “Dalai Lama, My Son.” His music is currently being used in the documentary film “What Remains of Us” which was selected at 2004 CANNES film festival. His music will be used in the upcoming Tibetan feature film “Dreaming of Lhasa” (working title: Poison Charm) directed by Tenzing Sonam and Ritu Sarin.

Category: "Dalai Lama Renaissance" Talk, News, News about "Dalai Lama Renaissance", Screenings and Events for "Dalai Lama Renaissance" (discussions and info) | No Comments »
Tags: carnegie hall, cleveland cinemateque, Dalai Lama, dharamsala, living in exile, musical traditions, phillip glass, tashi, techung, tibetan community, tibetan freedom concert, tibetan music, tibetan musician, tibetan singer, world music traditions, zakir hussein

Khashyar | March 2, 2009

HOLLYWOOD FILMMAKER FROM OHIO
APPEARS MARCH 7 AND 8 AT CINEMATHEQUE
Screening of ‘Dalai Lama Renaissance’ Includes Filmmaker Khashyar Darvich,
Tibetan Musician Techung and Author Dr. Thomas A. Forsthoefel

WHO:
Khashyar Darvich — Hollywood filmmaker, Ohio native, Baldwin-Wallace College alumnus
Techung — Renowned Tibetan musician, songwriter and recording artist
Dr. Tom Forsthoefel — Author of ‘The Dalai Lama: Essential Writings’ and Chair, Religious Studies Department, Mercyhurst College

WHAT:
Screening of ‘Dalai Lama Renaissance,’ narrated by Harrison Ford; Q&A with Khashyar Darvich and Dr. Tom Forsthoefel; and musical performance by Techung.

WHEN:
7:30 p.m., Sat., March 7, 2009; 4 p.m., Sun., March 8, 2009

WHERE:
The Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque, 11141 East Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106-1710

EVENT DETAILS:
‘Dalai Lama Renaissance’ the award-winning 81-minute documentary feature narrated by Harrison Ford, screens at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2009, at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque, 11141 East Blvd. The film’s screening earlier this year at the Cleveland Museum of Art drew the largest audience of any film in the museum’s 25-year history of showing films.

‘Dalai Lama Renaissance’ is produced and directed by Oxford, Ohio, native and Baldwin-Wallace College alumnus Khashyar Darvich. A Q&A session with Darvich will follow the screening. See his bio online at http://www.dalailamafilm.com/Khashyar-Darvich-Biography.html.

Following the Q&A, Tibetan musician, composer and recording artist Techung will perform on the Tibetan lute and flute. Techung wrote and recorded the soundtrack music for ‘Dalai Lama Renaissance.’ He recently performed at Carnegie Hall with jazz musician Phillip Glass. Techung is best known for his performances of traditional Tibetan music, dance, and opera under the name Tashi Dhondup Sharzur. Techung’s credits include vocal and musical performances on the soundtracks of ‘Everest,’ ‘Windhorse’ and the upcoming Tibetan feature film ‘Dreaming of Lhasa.’ His work is also featured in the audio book ‘Dalai Lama, My Son’ by Diki Tsering.

Joining Darvich in the Q&A will be Dr. Thomas A. Forsthoefel, Chair of the Religious Studies Department at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa. Forsthoefel is the author of ‘The Dalai Lama: Essential Writings,’ a compilation of teachings on wisdom, compassion, and meditation by the 14th Dalai Lama.

VENUE DETAILS:
Date: March 7, 2009 and March 8, 2009
Times: 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 7; 4 p.m., Sunday, March 8
Theater Name: Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque
Theater Address: 11141 East Blvd., Cleveland
Theater Web Site: www.cia.edu/cinematheque
Theater Phone: 216-421-7450 or 800-223-4700

ABOUT ‘DALAI LAMA RENAISSANCE’
‘Dalai Lama Renaissance’ is among the top-grossing documentaries of 2008. This important film on human rights and world peace has played to sold-out audiences at film festivals around the world. “Dalai Lama Renaissance” has earned 12 film festival awards, and is the official selection of 40 film festivals around the world.

The film tells the story of 40 Western innovative thinkers who travel to India to meet with the Dalai Lama to solve the problem of world peace. What happened was surprising and unexpected, and was captured by a five-camera, 18-person crew.

The film features two of the starring quantum physicists from the hit theatrical documentary ‘What the Bleep Do We Know,’ Physicists Fred Alan Wolf and Amit Goswami. Also appearing in ‘Dalai Lama Renaissance’ are Michael Beckwith (who appears in the film ‘The Secret’ with Wolf), Air America radio host Thom Hartmann, and others.

The film’s official website is www.DalaiLamaFilm.com.

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Category: "Dalai Lama Renaissance" Talk, News, News about "Dalai Lama Renaissance", Screenings and Events for "Dalai Lama Renaissance" (discussions and info) | No Comments »
Tags: baldwin wallace college, carnegie hall, cleveland institute of art, cleveland museum of art, Dalai Lama, documentary feature, harrison ford, hollywood filmmaker, mercyhurst college, oxford ohio, phillip glass, techung, tibetan music, tibetan musician

Khashyar | February 14, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO- Renown Tibetan musician Techung, who wrote and recorded all of the Tibet music for ”Dalai Lama Renaissance”, and who recently peformed at Carnegie Hall with Phillip Glass, will be joining “Dalai Lama Renaissance” Producer-Director Khashyar Darvich for Q&A’s at the Red Vic Theater in San Francisco.

Techung will join Khashyar at the Sunday 4 p.m. and Monday 7: 15 p.m. screenings of the film at the Red Vic.

It is also possible that another very special guest may join Khashyar and Techung at the Monday 7:15 p.m. screening.

Techung is one of the most respected Tibetan musicians in the world, with his music used in other films.

His biography is below:

Tashi Dhondup Sharzur (Contributing Music)

Techung is a prominent Tibetan singer/songwriter living in exile in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is best known for his performances of traditional Tibetan music, dance, and opera under the name Tashi Dhondup Sharzur. He uses his childhood nickname, Techung, when performing as a solo artist. Whether performing in traditional or contemporary styles, Techung’s dual goals are to revive Tibetan music in the Tibetan community and to expose the rich performing cultural tradition of his homeland to the world community. In addition to being looked up to as one of the key keepers of traditional Tibetan musical traditions, Techung is also respected for the original solo and collaborative music he creates by drawing on both his own heritage and his familiarity with other world music traditions. Techung’s voice and music have been featured on the soundtracks of the IMAX film “Everest,” the feature film “Windhorse,” the documentary films “Stranger in My Native Land,” “Tibet’s Stolen Child,” and “Three Days for Tibet” (about a concert in Dharamsala with Joan Osborne, Zakir Hussein and other musicians). His music was also featured on PSA’s for the Milarepa Fund (promoting the 1999 Tibetan Freedom Concert), Students’ For a Free Tibet’s DVD demo “Tibet Will Be Free”, and Amnesty International (soliciting support for the human rights case of Ven. Palden Gyatso), as well as on an audio book by Diki Tsering titled “Dalai Lama, My Son.” His music is currently being used in the documentary film “What Remains of Us” which was selected at 2004 CANNES film festival. His music will be used in the upcoming Tibetan feature film “Dreaming of Lhasa” (working title: Poison Charm) directed by Tenzing Sonam and Ritu Sarin.

Category: "Dalai Lama Renaissance" Talk, News, News about "Dalai Lama Renaissance", Screenings and Events for "Dalai Lama Renaissance" (discussions and info) | No Comments »
Tags: carnegie hall, Dalai Lama, Dalai Lama Renaissance, documentary films, living in exile, musical traditions, phillip glass, red vic theater, students for a free tibet, techung, tibetan community, tibetan freedom concert, tibetan music, tibetan musician, tibetan singer, world music traditions