For Tibet with Love: Dinner and Concert with Tenzin Choegyal and special guests.

For Tibet with Love: Dinner and Concert with Tenzin Choegyal Richard Grantham, Marcello Milani Shen Flindell Enjoy an evening of delicious food and be inspired by this beautiful and resilient culture as they celebrate with music and song keeping dreams of peace and freedom alive. Sat 16th December from 6 pm $45 per person children under 10 free. at The Big Love Cafe. Robbie to cook a three course meal.

Each year the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize shifts the worlds attention, to the ongoing need to work consciously to create peace in the world. It’s a time to celebrate the powerful impact of peacemakers in our world. In 1989 this award gained special significance for the Tibetan people and Buddhists around the world as it was awarded to the 14th Dalai Lama. We invite you to join Tenzin Choegyal for a unique and joyful celebration in recognition of peacemakers around the world. Tenzin is an internationally recognised musician, well known for his unique voice that has been described as powerfully evocative, healing and transcendent. His compositions uniquely express his cultural lineage and the contemporary challenges faced by his people. He is joined by world class musicians Richard Grantham, Marcello Milani and Shen Fendell for an evening not to be missed.

Tenzin Choegyal Tenzin Choegyal is a Tibetan artist, composer, activist, musical director and cultural ambassador. Born to a family of Tibetan nomads, Tenzin Choegyal was forced into exile in India as his family fled the repression in Tibet. As a child, Tenzin would listen to his mother singing in the nomadic style and he attributes much of his passion for that genre to her early influence. Tenzin channels the wisdom and traditions of his ancestors through his songs. Over the years, Tenzin has a successful international career as a musician, playing at such prestigious events as WOMAD as well as several Concerts for Tibet House at Carnegie Hall, New York. In addition to his much loved solo performances of soaring vocals and circling rhythms, Tenzin is an avid collaborator with musicians from diverse cultures,traditions and genres. From classical western (with chamber orchestra Camerata of St John’s), contemporary (with Philip Glass) to ancient traditional (with didgeridoo master William Barton), Tenzin embraces opportunities to take his music to uncharted territory both in the studio and on stage. Tenzin has six independent album releases and recently collaborated with Philip Glass on the breathtaking score for the film ‘The Last Dalai Lama?’.

With Laurie Anderson, Tenzin is now working on an interpretation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead which is due for release by the Smithsonian Institution in the coming months. In 2008 Tenzin founded the annual Festival of Tibet in Brisbane, Australia, which showcases Tibetan culture through music, film, art and discussion. He was musical director for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards in 2011 and 2013 and is artistic director of the Brisbane Himalayan Film Festival. In 2015, in his role as ambassador for the Australian Himalayan Foundation, Tenzin travelled to the border of Tibet on the Nepalese side, the closest he has ever come to his ancestral homeland. Richard Grantham Composer and multi-instrumentalist Richard Grantham is a jack of all musical trades whose compositional and performing experience stretches from orchestras to bands to solo improvisation, encompassing an exceptionally broad range of classical, folk, popular, cabaret and experimental styles.

He has created music for festivals, films, theatre, spoken word, and burlesque, as well as for the concert hall. His solo improvising act The Viola Cloning Project uses a loop recorder and other effects pedals to turn his customised five-string carbon-fibre viola into a one-man string and percussion orchestra, and has performed all around Australia. Shen Flindell Since being initiated into the Benares Gharana of tabla by one of the great old masters of the style in 1994, Shen Flindell has grown to become one of Australia's leading tabla players. He is the accompanist of choice for Indian classical artists visiting Brisbane, and performs in several fusion groups including Tibet2Timbuk2 and Spirit of Bhakti. He is best known for his beautiful sound and supportive accompaniment, and has released 6 CDs ranging from Indian classical bansuri to Tibetan world fusion.

Shen loves bringing people together to unite through music, whether it's playing with his many young students or collaborating with top musicians from around the world. Marcello Milani is a singer, songwriter & guitarist. Marcello has performed at many festivals including Woodford Folk Festival, Livid Festival, Big Day Out & the National Folk Festival to name just a few. He is best known to many as the voice of Brisbane icons, The Toothfaeries. Arguably one of the most acclaimed and popular bands in the city’s recent history, The Toothfaeries, with Marcello out front, not only helped inspire the growth of Brisbane’s booming music scene, they influenced a small army of artists who have emerged in their wake.

Established 1974, Chenrezig Institute is a centre for Buddhist study, meditation, retreat and practice nestled in the foothills of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. The Institute is home to a Tibetan Geshe (Lama), a large community of ordained Sangha (monks and nuns), students, residents, volunteers, retreat goers and guests.

Apart from the formal study programmes, Chenrezig Institute is a peaceful, calm and relaxing place to spend a few hours, days or weeks. Stroll along the bush paths, wander in formal garden, espresso in the cafe or a vegetarian meal.

Teachers’ availability subject to change; please http://www.chenrezig.com.au/programme/calendar/ for updated information.