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The Governor's Institute for Arts Educators
focused on developing lesson plans according to the
Pennsylvania standards, focusing on aesthetics and
alternative forms of assessment. Also, we studied
the culture of Tibet. During this study, I listened
to Tibetan sacred chant and viewed a concert
presented by Drepung Tibetan monks. When I first
heard the music, I thought that it had no formal
organization (to my Western ears), was a simple
monotone chant with little pitch change, had little
harmony - although I could detect a bit of
dissonance, used no meter and was primarily a
cappella. I was not excited about the music at all
because it was so different and uninteresting
compared to what I am accustomed to hearing.
However, when I attended the concert, I was totally
enthralled by what was occuring on stage. The chant
master had an extremely deep voice, and when he
would begin the chant, he would place the back of
his hand in front of his mouth, sustain an open
vowel and produce three simultaneous notes!! I have
often joked that I wish there was a technique which
would allow me to sing soprano with one vocal chord
and alto with the other, and here was this young
man with no formal vocal training producing three
notes at one time! They were not a chord by our
Western tradition, but they were three notes at
once! The music still had little pitch change, but
it was more than what I had heard previously. The
monks used instruments to accompany the chants and
dances; however, the singing was rarely
accompanied. The dances were all ceremonial and
elaborately costumed. My favorite selection was the
Dance of the Snow Lion. The interpreter explained
that the Snow Lion is an important animal of Tibet,
and that the dance is done so that people do not
take themselves so seriously. It was delightful!
Two monks were dressed in a Snow Lion costume and
they played with the audience as if they were a
playful puppy. I could not take my eyes off the
spectacle.I would love to research other myths or
legends as the one of the Snow Lion and see if they
are as enchanting.
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