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Tenzin Choegyal

Tibetan singer/songwriter

Terika – “acousticaelectronica”

acousticaelectronica is a double album of Tibetan Acoustic and Electronic-influenced music, by Terika, an Australian based world music / jazz fusion trio which combines Tibetan folk, smoky saxophone and mellow cello to create a truly unique toe tapping mystical musical experience.

Terika features the creative talents of River Petein on saxophones, Katherine Philp on cello and Tenzin Choegyal who plays traditional Tibetan instruments and provides the soaring vocals. Their musical mastery is matched by their passion for sensitive collaboration, merging the ancient and modern, east and west, secular and religious.

The result is an intriguing musical tapestry, rich in its rhythm, melody and meaning.

Guest artists on electronica :
: Taro Terahara (bansuri) 2, 4
: John Malcolm (guitar) 6
: Ramtha (spoken word) 6

Terika’s CD is now exclusively available for mail order or download through EthnoSuperLounge, where you can also listen to track samples.

Track Listing

Acoustica

court song
riverfly
sunday
olo chung chung
harmonics
katherine
passage
himalaya
nomad song

Electronica

terika MD
G angel
pandera
deep taro
partly ärvo
wonder
11 ten

Tibet2Timbuk2

Rollicking Tibetan folk, afro-reggae guitar grooves and intricate Indian tabla sound as if they were made for each other! Together, Tenzin Choegyal, Marcello Milani and Shen Flindell create a new joyful sound that transcends cultural boundaries.

Tibet2Timbuk2 has an eclectic repertoire resulting in an overall sound which is full and organic. All three musicians share melody, harmony, bass and percussion roles to create a solid yet easy groove. From the joyous to the meditative, come on a journey from Tibet to Timbuktu.

Tibet2Timbuk2’s album “Music is Life” (2008) is available for mail order or download from EthnoSuperLounge.

2 Horsemen

2 Horsemen are Tenzin Choegyal (Tibet) and Baatar Sukh (Mongolia). The combination of two great vocal techniques and powers of _expression makes it a unique duo. Both being from nomadic traditions; in their songs one could feel the vastness of space, appreciate the beauty and the innocence of the nature. They bring a new sound from Australia yet so based within their roots.

Tenzin as a master of traditional instruments such as the Dranyen (long-necked lute) and Lingbu (transverse bamboo flute), he is also accomplished in ritual instruments such as the Suna (reed instrument), and utilises singing bowls, bells, and gongs within his compositions. Surpassing all this, however, is Tenzin’s outstanding voice, rich and memorable in its poignancy and intensity.

Baatar is master of his horse headed fidle Morin chuur and throat singing where one produces two or three vocal lines simultaneously by selectively amplifying harmonics. Legend has it that the fiddle was created from the bones, skin and hair of a magical winged horse upon whose death ht skull became the body of the fiddle.

Terika

Terika is an Australian based world music / jazz fusion trio which combines Tibetan folk, smoky saxophone and mellow cello to create a truly unique toe tapping mystical musical experience.

Terika features the creative talents of River Petein on saxophones, Katherine Philp on cello and Tenzin Choegyal who plays traditional Tibetan instruments and provides the soaring vocals. Their musical mastery is matched by their passion for sensitive collaboration, merging the ancient and modern, east and west, secular and religious. The result is an intriguing musical tapestry, rich in its rhythm, melody and meaning.

Terika’s double album acousticaelectronica” (2007) is available for mail order or download from EthnoSuperLounge.

Trikaya …in the Between…

Meditations and Illuminations on The Tibetan Book of the Dead.

…In the Between… brings together four of Australia’s finest music collaborators in a highly original performance piece that uses The Tibetan Book of the Dead as its source material.

Trikaya features Michael Askill on singing bowls, bells and gongs, Riley Lee on shakuhachi, Tenzin Choegyal on Tibetan flute and voice, and James Coates with spoken word. This richly atmospheric work will inform and transform the audience with the ancient and universal wisdom of Tibet.

‘Liberation through Hearing in the Between’ is a more accurate translation of the 14th century text by Padmakara usually known as The Tibetan Book of the Dead.

Combining selected text readings with musical meditations and sound illuminations, the Trikaya quartet performs an original interpretation of this very profound, poetic and universal wisdom

Various collaborations

Collaborative works:

  • 2003 Under Eastern Skies (ABC)
  • 2000 Scattered People (Lifeline)
  • 1999 Music as Medicine (Stories & Songs of the People)

Tenzin Choegyal has been a key organiser of events such as:

  • The Disorientation Series, with the concert at the Powerhouse (Aug
    04) being the inaugural concert of the Inner Asian Music Foundation;
  • Tibet in a Red Box (March 2004) – a week long exhibition at the Metro Arts Centre;
  • Tibetan Freedom Festival (March 2001) at Boggo Road Gaol.

APSA Opening Performance- December 2013

Tenzin Choegyal & Taro Terahara – “Tayata-Heart Sutra”

50 B’Days in Exile

HH the Dalai Lama turned 74. To celebrate his B’day I was invited Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane to do some songs. It was quite a trip but I enjoyed it. In Canberra I even took part in some soccer match which was organized by the Tibetan youth group in Australia. It was a really nice day.

My thought on the B’Day of HH was wow… 50 B’days in Exile. Hope someday soon we all can go back to Yibet without fear and celebrate HH’s B’day. Sydney Tibetan celebration was really cool. They cooked up a strom for about 500 people. It was a whole day celebration with cultural shows from the community. I think the Music teacher have done a great job in teaching the Sydney community some beautiful songs and dances. Inspiring!!!!.

What a SUNDAY!!!!

I had a great night with my band members and all the guest artist during the CD launch at POWERHOUSE sponsered by perfect potion. Even though it took so much time to set the sound yet we pulled it off really nicely. Sal and Ric did a great job giving the intro to the band. Thank you to all the guest artists… Meneeka, Lansana and Peter. They played beautifully. For me the most fun part was Crane song coz didn’t really get to practiced with Meneek but the way she started the song was perfect. So many things to say.. but in short It was a beautiful night… Music is Life is out now …. please grab a copy. Visit tibet2timbuk2.com for all the info and to listen to songs.

Wow Sunday, what a sunday!!!!!!…. I didn’t leave for India on Sunday for some reason but it was good that I didn’t go coz, we had a huge STROM…. and our Gap got hit really hard. Everywhere looked so much like a warzone. So manytrees got uprooted. So i left the next day on Monday…. I will write more on INdia next. Love to allllll