Tibetan Cultural Exhibition

A group of Tibetan Monks is currently in the Puget Sound area and are doing 2 cultural exhibitions of Mandala Sand Painting, music, dance, and religious rituals. It is taking place in Kirkland Sept 27-30 and in Kent on Oct 6-8. The sand painting exhibition is free and even viewable this week by webcam; the music & dance performance does cost for tickets. Keep reading below for more information from the respective cities' webpages.

The Mystical Arts of Tibet: Sacred Music, Sacred Dance

Saturday, October 7, 7:30 p.m. at Kentwood High School Performing Arts Center, 25800 164th Avenue SE, Covington

Join Kent Parks, Recreation and Community Services and the Kent Arts Commission for one of the most remarkable performances presented in the 25-year history of the Commission.

Draped in burgundy and orange ceremonial robes, as well as brilliantly colored traditional costumes and intricate masks, a group of Tibetan monks begin to chant . . . It is a sound like none other. A demonstration of once secret, monastic rituals, the evening will include traditional temple instruments such as cymbals, bells, drums and 12 foot long Himalayan horns; masked dances; a demonstration of the process of monastic debate and inquiry; and the distinctive multiphonic chanting. Tibetans are the only culture on earth to have cultivated this extraordinary vocal ability, in which each monk simultaneously intones three notes, each individually creating a complete chord.

The Kent Arts Commission and Kent Parks, Recreation and Community Services are proud to present this performance as part of the Spotlight Series of performing arts events. The Mystical Arts of Tibet is partially funded by the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program through a generous grant from Western States Arts Federation. Advance tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and students. At the door, tickets will be $14 and $12. Tickets will be available starting August 28 at the Kent Commons or by calling 253-856-5050.

Friday, October 6 through Sunday, October 8 King County Regional Justice Center Rotunda, 401 Fourth Avenue North, Kent As part of their stay in Kent, the monks will construct a mandala sand painting. To construct the mandala millions of grains of colored sand are painstakingly poured into an intricate design on a flat platform. When finished, the mandala is destroyed to symbolize the impermanence of all that exists. The monks will work on this exquisite mandala from October 6 to 8, on the third floor of the King County Regional Justice Center rotunda. An opening ceremony will begin the process of creating the mandala at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, October 6 and it will be destroyed during a closing ceremony on Sunday evening at 5:00 p.m. Visitors are invited to drop by, watch, contemplate and ask questions from 12:30 to 6:00 p.m. on Friday; from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday; and from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. This event is free.

Saturday, October 7, 1:00 p.m. Kent Regional Library, 212 North 2nd Avenue Public Lecture: The monks will present a free public lecture on "The Psychology of Enlightenment." The mind determines how we experience life and how we evolve as individuals. This lecture looks at the Buddhist map of the mind, its nature and its functions while addressing the ways in which its health and stability can be continuously developed.

[Copied directly from <www.ci.kent.wa.us/culturalprograms>.]

Similar demonstrations will take place at the Kirkland Performance Center at 350 Kirkland Avenue from Sept 27-30.
Call 425-893-9900 or go to www.kpcenter.org for more information.

Mandala Sand Painting = Creation will begin at Noon on 9/27, and it will be destroyed by 5pm on 9/30. The public may view the work and it's related ceremonies for free each day from Noon-5pm, or via webcam at <www.kpcenter.org>. -- "This will be a rare opportunity to witness an ancient tradition whereby millions of grains of sand are carefully placed to create an elaborate and brilliantly colored devotional work. Once completed, the Mandala is then destroyed in a closing ceremony where it is gathered into an urn. It will then be paraded through Downtown Kirkland and dumped into the waters of Lake Washington "for world purification and planetary healing." Audience members attending the September 30th performance will be part of the closing ceremony when they each receive a "piece" of the Mandala and are invited to participate in the processional parade."

Music & Dance Performance -- Fri 9/29 at 7:30pm and Sat 9/30 at 7pm. The sacred music of Tibet has been described as "sounds that seem to come from the womb of the earth." For an exclusive two-night run, nine Lamas, dressed in their costumes of maroon and saffron robes, will play the traditional 12-foot-long horns, cymbals, bells and trumpets, and chant in what is called the "awesome voice," or multiphonic singing, in which each monk holds three notes simultaneously, at the lowest limits of the human vocal range. This amazing vocal phenomenon has been admired all over the world for its spiritual and awe-inspiring qualities. Among the dances performed by the monks, wearing an assortment of evocative masks, are Dance of the Black Hat Masters (an exorcism), Dance of the Skeleton Lords, Dance of the Sacred Snow Lion and Dance of the Celestial Travelers. Don't miss this unique chance to witness first-hand the musical, spiritual and cultural traditions of the Tibetan Monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery at Kirkland Performance Center. -- Tickets = $19.00-Regular $15.00- Student/Senior. Call Kirkland Performance Center's Box Office at: (425) 893-9900.

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Karen Rall, Folk Music Programming Coordinator for Westercon 54 in Portland and Norwescon 24 in Seattle. If you'd like more information about Celtic music activities
in the Greater Seattle area, or about Filking at Cons & SCA Events, please reply to
reply<quarong at aa.net>. General Convention info is available at <www.sfnorthwest.org>,
and SCA information at <www.sca.org>. Received on 09/27/00