Personal Interview with Lama tashi

Ngawang Tashi Bapu was born on 22nd Feb 1968, in the village of Thembang, state of Arunachal Pradesh, North East India. He was born into a large farming family of three brothers and four sisters. Lama Tashi entered Drepung Loseling Monastery in June 1983. This monastery was one of the largest and most important in Tibet. After the Chinese invasion of the 1950's, the Drepung Loseling Monastery relocated to South India, where it was slowly rebuilt and now flourishes as a major center for Tibetan Buddhism. One of Lama Tashi's brothers has also studied at this monastery and received his Geshe degree (the equivalent of a doctorate in Buddhist philosophy) in 2000. An excellent student, Lama Tashi began to formally study in 1983, at the age of 15. He later perfected the Tibetan "Deep Voice", a multi-phonic singing technique utilized in sacred prayer. Sixteen years later, his extraordinary abilities lead to his enthronement as Umzey, or Principal Chant Master, of Drepung Loseling Monastery.

The compassion, wisdom and vocal abilities of Lama Tashi so impressed his teachers and spiritual leaders of the monastery that in 1991 he was chosen as one of the monks to travel the world on the Sacred Music and Dance tour of 1991-1992. For 11 months, he travelled throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada performing on the tour. He is a multi-phonic chanter and has performed twice at the Carnegie Hall in New York City. Tashi has also performed with popular recording artists such as Natalie Merchant, Michael Stipe (R.E.M.), Ben Harper and Sheryl Crow. Currently, he lives in Bomdila and is the Principal of the Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Study, at Dahung in Bomdila. Affectionately known as the Singing Monk, Tashi was one of the nominees for the Best Traditional World Music category at the 2006 Grammy Awards. On his nomination, Tashi said, "I do not have much knowledge of Western music although I love listening to Indian Hindi music and folk songs". In 1998, he performed with Philip Glass at the premier showing of the award winning film "Kundun" at Lincoln Center in New York City. In 2002, he performed with Kitaro at Denver's City Light's Pavilion.

Lama Tashi again toured North America for 19 months beginning in 1996 as part of another tour sponsored by the Drepung Loseling Institute and Richard Gere Foundation. In April 1999, he performed for H.H., the Dalai Lama in Curitiba, Brazil, alongside renowned Brazilian artists like Gilberto Gil. Later the same year, he led multi-phonic chant before H.H., the Dalai Lama at the World Festival of Sacred Music at the Hollywood Bowl in Pasadena, California and at Central Park in New York City. In December, 1999, Lama Tashi was formally appointed Umzey, or Principal Chant Master, of Drepung Loseling Monastery. The following summer he again visited the United States. He was Head Chant Master of the Monlam Chenmo (Great Prayer Festival), which was presided over by H.H., the Dalai Lama on the National Mall in Washington, D.C, before an audience of over 50,000 people. In January of 2002, Lama Tashi led the prayer as Choyang Umzey at the traditional Great Prayer Festival at Bodhgaya, India where over 250,000 people attended.

Throughout Lama Tashi's world travels, he has taught extensively and performed and recorded both independently ("THE LOST CHORD", "CHANT MASTERS" and "MEDICINE BUDDHA"), and with monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery ("SACRED TIBETAN CHANTS", "SOUNDS OF THE VOID","SACRED MUSIC/ SACRED DANCE" and "COMPASSION").

Source: http://www.chantmaster.org

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