Tibetan nun Choying Drolma brought her unique sound to the Thurber Theatre at the Drake Union last night.
The stage was intimately set with two rows of candles and a row of purple stage light as three musicians walked onto the stage and sat down. Steve Tibbetts (guitar) and Marc Anderson (percussion) began to build a wall of sound, weaving their instruments together before Drolma’s chants broke through that wall to complete the musical sounds on their albums, “Cho,” and “Selwa.”
Drolma was the main attraction of the show as her voice was the focus of the music. Her voice alone carried a sound that would probably be strong enough itself to captivate listeners, but Tibbetts’ electronics were added complement. His playing was exceptionally skilled, yet subtle. It became easy to forget that he was even there.
Drolma sat motionless on a platform for most of the set. The only movements she made were when she occasionally played a drum and bell. Her voice was powerful, yet at the same time, relaxing. In fact, some members of the audience seemed to catch a nap though most of the hundred or so present listened patiently.
Tibbetts played his guitar in a classical style, but with many effects added to it to make the sound rich and beautiful. He mostly played a supporting role in the large sound that the group put forth. The effects were the groundwork that supported Drolma’s voice. Tibbetts’ playing was skilled, but he did not allow his own skills to be dictated the music. Instead, he allowed Drolma to take center stage.
Marc Anderson added to Tibbetts’ work with cymbals, gongs and hand drums. Sometimes, he simply provided support, while other times, he controlled the music with complex rhythms.
The music was very structured with little imporvising. Each of the musicians were read sheet music.
For the most part, the songs were played with little or no break. The first half of the performance was done without a break as one of the three musicians would carry the melody through transitions.
After they finished the first half of the performance, Tibbetts spoke.
He said the previous work was from their first album, “Cho.”
Tibbetts said many people ask him how the band got together. Tibbetts told the audience how he met Drolma in her monastery in Tibet.
He also commented on the electronic sounds. He revealed that he was controlling the sound himself with the pedals and machines he had on stage with him.
Tibbetts then went to talk about the music itself.
“Some of the songs are a thousand years old, so they go back.” The songs were some that are traditionally sung by those in Tibetan monasteries.
“[They are about] clearing obstacles to clarity or pointing out those obstacles,” Tibbetts said.
Then, the audience got an opportunity to hear from Drolma.
Many of the songs come from a Bhuddist practice called, “Cho”. She said Cho was the first Tibetan Bhuddist practice having origins in Tibet. Most of the previous practices came from India.
The music is used as a way to calm the mind, Droma said. She said when it is sung beautifully, it is also considered an offering.
“As we have alarm clocks to wake us up, we have these instruments to wake our inner selves up,” Drolma said of her drum and bell.
Drolma said she did not compose the melodies she is singing, but they were composed by masters from the past. She explained that the word, “Cho,” means cutting.
“Ego develops when there is fear of losing something,” Drolma explained. “Ego is considered the biggest demon or enemy of oneself.”
Drolma said she tours to share a moment of spiritual value, but she has a personal dream that she wished to accomplish. Unlike many performers dreams of the actual touring and performing for others, Drolma’s dream was to create a school of Tibetan nuns, she said. She was able to establish a school in Nepal, but she still wished to continue to support education of Tibetan woman.
She said Tibetan women are mostly uneducated, as they are raised to serve their husbands and to do house work.
After her speech, Drolma said that she was done talking and they would continue the music.
The performers seemed less connected in the second half of the show. Each got his or her chance to demonstrate her skills.
Drolma’s voice was still the most powerful force onstage, but Tibbetts and Anderson each got their chance to shine.
Anderson’s rhythms were more varied throughout the second half. Although he mostly provided background, he still got the chance to play out and even chances to solo with a couple of the hand drums he was using.
Tibbetts also played out a bit more than he did during the first half. He took part of the time when Drolma wasn’t singing to show his talents. One could imagine him playing large self-centerd heavy metal solos with a fist-pumping audience eating it up. But he didn’t run around or even leave his chair for that matter. Most importantly, what he did still fit very well with the music.
Tibbetts also kept a drier sound, using fewer electronics and more skilled playing. This allowed Drolma’s voice to stand out even more, still as powerful and beautiful as it was before.
Overall, this performance was quite different from the concerts Americans usually experience. There was no agenda set forth by the performers. In fact, each lended his or her talents selflessly to the music. As Drolma said before, this music was not about the evil ego, but instead about selflessness.
Before the musicians began the second part of the program, Drolma left the audience with this proverb:
“If I tell you my dream, prehaps you might forget it. If I act on my dream, you might remember it. But if I involve you in my dream, you will be a part of it.”
