News   Concert

First of all I would like to say a heartfelt "Tashi Delek" to all of you who are taking this time to visit my homepage to find out more about my music. Thanks to my web designer Palmi Nigro I can now do a regular "update on my NEWS" including a photo and I am looking forward to sharing my nice moments of various concerts or trips with you.

My dear friends,

On Saturday, 14th June 2008 there will be a concert in the Church of Zürich Enge, to express our sympathie and our solidarity with the victims of the devastating earthquake in the southwestern province Scechuan in China. Althouth there are major tensions in the political situation between Tibet and China since the unrest in Tibet that began on 10th March 2008, we surely feel very distressed and sad about this natural disaster that took place in China. The Tibetan Exile Government has called upon all the Tibetans around the whole world to shun any kind of protests until end of May as a symbol of sympathy and respect and to pray for the vicitms. His Holiness The Dalai Lama wishes that the Tibetans focus again on the nonviolent "Middle Path" approach to solve the Tibet Issue and not to engage in aggressive actions against China. He says that violence is the wrong solution to solve the conflict with China and it would increase that danger to plant a seed  for an ethnic problem which would have terrible consequences for many decades for both sides. We all have a great responsibility to prevent this current political problem to turn into an ethnic problem. We may never let hatred and anger fill our hearts and loose our compassionate mind of wisdom. We will come together to pray for the victims on both Chinese and Tibetan side and join our forces to find a peaceful solution for the Tibet issue. It is a special honor to announce that Mr. Donghua Li, the most famous chinese athlete residing in Switzerland who has been appointed ambassador of the Swiss Olympic Team for Beijing 2008 will be present at the concert. I am personally very moved by his decision to come to the concerts as this is a tremendous signal for reconciliation and his deep wish to contribute to promoting peace between the Chinese and Tibetan communities.

Your sincerely,

Dechen Shak-Dagsay

Let me thank you for all your letters and e-mails to show your big concern at the tragedy that is happening right now in Tibet. The unrest in Tibet is deeply worrying and we hope and pray that the situation will soon be normalised. With this uncprecedented support of the international community and their putting pressure on the Chinese Government I have hopes that the Chinese will finally accept the extended Hand of His Holiness and come to the negotiation table. "The Middle Way" that His Holiness has been propagating since the last 20 years is the only solution at the moment to provide the ground for the Tibetans and Chinese to live in peaceful coexistence. The Tibetans renounce their previously claimed Independent status for Tibet. In return they ask for a genuine autonomy for all the Tibetan Regions and are ready to become an integral part of  the People s Republic of China. There will be a "Peace for Tibet" concert at the End of  April 2008 in the Jesuit church of Lucerne. The exact date will be communicated as soon as possible on my website under concerts. We will come together to commemorate for all the victims on the Tibetan as well as on the Chinese side and we will express our deep solidarity with Tibet. But this concert should also send a very important signal that despite all the anger and dispair we may not let hatred take over control of our wisdom mind.  It would be very nice if you could join this prayer concert for Tibet. Famous Musicians of Switzerland will be playing for you and together with me.

Deeply connected with you through the prayers for Tibet,

Dechen Shak-Dagsay 

I was very moved when I read His Holiness latest Statement. and it encourages me to do everything I can to support his peaceful message.  Please visit below mentioned website and read it too.

 www.tibet.net (the official website of the Central Tibetan Administration)

Copyright and a rtwork by:  Ariane Frey, 6363 Bürgenstock

ON THE PATH  was the synopsis of the 2nd HwaEom Spiritual Music Ritual in Korea that took place between 17th and 21th October 2007.  The first concert took place in Seoul and was fully dedicated to "TARA" (YouTube clip). Together with the incredibly talented young Korean Musicians of the Group "Baramgot" Joanne Shenandoah, Jennifer Berezan Manish Vyas and myself presented our songs. Also unforgettable was our second concert that took place in the south in the oldest buddhist tempel of Korea beautifully situated at the Mount Jirisan. 1500 people visited the concert and were taking part in the prayers of the opening ceremony held by the abbot and the monks. It is specially moving for me to see that the Koreans feel very close to the Tibetans and they have a deep respect and devotion for His Holiness The Dalai Lama. My sincere thanks go to Professor Park Chium and his colleague Mrs. JungMyung for initiating Hwa Eom Ritual in order to awaken the inner spiritual voice in all of us.

It was such a beautiful moment that I was given on 27th July in Hamburg. During a private audience with His Holiness The Dalai Lama I had the chance of presenting His Holiness the documentar film by the Swiss Television on my trip to Tibet by film author Kurt Frischknecht "Feeling home in both worlds". His Holiness stated that it was great that  our  "Friends of Tsedön Clinic in Tibet" Association was helping Tibetans in Tibet. His Holiness expressed the importance that young Tibetans received good education inside Tibet and was very happy to hear that we are supporting young students in Tibet. I shall never forget these precious moments with His Holiness and I feel so grateful for his blessings.

 Photo by: Mrs. Betty Learner, Hamburg

The Third Tibetan Music Award took place on 30th June 2007 in Dharamsala in Northern India. Over sixty Tibetan Artists from all around the world were nominated for the 16 different categories. The winners were chosen through on-line voting as well as publication. It is with great joy that I heard the news that my latest CD "TARA DEVI, inner journey towards ultimate Happiness" (label Polyglobe Music Austria) won the award for "Best Spiritual/Devotional Album". I am very happy about this award and  I am looking forward to receiving the trophy with the beautiful Saraswati. I would like to thank the organizers for their important role to unite the Tibetan Artists inside and outside Tibet and to inspire them to excel in their art and to preserve and promote our Tibetan Culture.  

I am very happy to announce that the documentary film "Daheim in zwei Welten" by the film author Kurt Frischknecht will be shown on 16th May 2007 at 20:15 on 3SAT.  It was first shown on Swiss Television on 27th November 2006 in it's original version (Swiss German). For 3SAT the film has been translated into High German in order to fully reach the German speaking areas in Europe. Thanks to the great initiative of the author Kurt Frischknecht and my music producer Stefan Ackermann this documentary film will be soon available as a Benefice-DVD and Euro 2.00 of the proceedings will be going into the fund of "Friends of Tsedön clinic in Eastern Tibet" to support our projects.

We are very happy that this film will reach out to so many people and that we will be able to show them all this beautiful country and its people.

With my best regards,

Dechen Shak-Dagsay

Photo by: Dr. med. Paul Bürgler

The Benfice Concert organised by GSTF Switzerland (Sektion Innerschweiz) on Friday, 23th March 2007 was a great success . Thanks to the great efforts of the team lead by Mrs. Gabriela Hofer more than 600 people attended the concert. It was very impressive and beautiful to sing in the famous Francisan Church of Lucerne.

On behalf of "Friends of Tsedön Clinic" I would like to thank GSTF for their kindness to donate the proceedings of the evening entirley to our project in Tibet.

I would also like to thank all who have come to attend the concert and it was most inspiring to see once again, that deep in our hearts we can all connect and we speak the same language.

May Peace prevail in your hearts,

Dechen Shak-Dagsay

I must admit that a few years ago I would never have expected an invitation from as far as Hong Kong. I was very surprised to receive an invitation to sing at Matthieu Ricard Rinpoche's famous Photo exhibition "A Compassionate Eye" in Hong Kong.  Especially since I have long admired Rinpoche's untiring efforts to help Tibetans inside and outside Tibet with humanitarian projects. It was in many ways an unforgettable time. I thank all the people involved, that made it possible for me to come to Hong Kong and to touch also the hearts of the people in Hong Kong with the Tibetan Mantras and peace prayer songs.  I was accompanied by the famous Chinese Bamboo-flute Master Tam Po Shek and it was really beautiful to see how music, when it comes purely from the heart can bring about a wonderful serenity and a great undestanding of tolerance and compassion for each other.

I am very thankful for these specials moments and I thank the Family Ho Foundation in Hong Kong for inviting me to this meaningful event.

I am very happy that "Kulturplatz" of SF 1 is going to show a short documentary on my music and my engagement for Tibet tonight at 22:55 in order to announce the DOK film of Monday 27th November 2006.  They will also announce the concert of 8th December 2006 in the Volkshaus of Zürich and show Jürg Zurmühle and myself rehearsing in Jürg's atelier in Liestal near Basel.

I would like to thank the team of Kulturplatz and especially the producer  Nicole Salathé for a lovely day together when filming with her cameraman Dominik Hofmann and sound engineer Stephane Pauly.

"The First Step" was the theme of the first HwaEom Spiritual Music Ritual that took place on 18th November 2006 in the southwest of South Korea at HwaEom Sa Temple, one of the oldest buddhist temples in Korea. I am still totally fascinated by the beauty of the monastery and the serenity of the monks. With this HwaEom Music Ritual the initiators would like to mark a change of paradigm in the society of the modern world, where blinding selfishness and confusion are dominating. HwaEom means Altruism and contains the essence of Buddhas teachings which have the power to bring peace and harmony in people's heart and creating the base for peace. It is the great wish of Professor Park Chium and all his friends that one day by the power of HwaEom the dream of the Reunification of North and Southkorea will come true. I feel very priviledged to have been part of this beautiful Ritual at HwaEom Sa temple.

The picture shows the rehearsing of the Opening Ceremony.

I am very happy to announce to you, that end of this month my label Polyglobe Music Austria will release my new CD "TARA DEVI, Inner Journey towards ultimate Happiness".  I feel so happy that I have been able to dedicate this whole CD to Tara, The Great Liberator. Already when I was a small girl I always felt so loved and protected by her. To all of you who are already enjoying the connection to Tara, may these praises to 21 Taras serve to even intensify this connection. To all those who don't know Tara yet, may these praises be like an invitation to feel the unique Power and Beauty of Tara.

I am very happy to inform you that the documentary film on my trip to Tibet that was taken earlier this year in May will be shown onSwiss National Television on Monday, 27th November at 22:20 in the evening.  It is a beautiful documentation on what our parents have achieved over the past 20 years in Tibet. My sisters, Dolkar and Dega and myself are very grateful to the film team to enable us to show this to a wider range of people. We are confident that this film will inspire a lot of people in the West to also engage themselves in social projects in Tibet. This picture was taken when the film team visited the local school near Chokri in Eastern Tibet.

Photo by: Dr. med. Paul Bürgler

I am always very happy for all the platforms that I get to promote the land of my roots, Tibet and its beautiful culture. I am very grateful to Marina Villa for this invitation and it was a pleasure to be her guest in her programme called Focus on Radio DRS3. The Interview can be dowloaded from the homepage of DRS3.

On Sunday, 16th July the premiere of this film took place in The Arthouse Le Paris in Zürich.

This February my husband and myself had the opportunity to see the Premiere of the first Tibetan feature film "Dreaming Lhasa" that took place in New Delhi in India. Both filmmakers,Ritu Sarin and Tenzin Sonam were there to present their film and we were very impressed by their work. The film describes the difficulties that young Tibetans in exile have when trying to keep up their roots. The Tibetan actors are very authentic and they succeed very much in conveying the message that it is still very fullfilling and important to contribute one's share to the cause of Tibet. I am very happy that the film is being shown here in Switzerland with the biggest Tibetan Community in Exile (3000 Tibetans) in Europe.

Through the performance of singing a Tibetan Peace Prayer Song in the Church of Einsiedeln in the presence of His Holiness, The Dalai Lama, the Swiss National Television showed interest in doing a documentary film on me. As I had planned to visit Tibet in May of this year a long time ago I kindly accepted this offer as it would be a good way of introducing our social clinic project in Tibet to a larger audience.

Together with the Swiss National Television team, two Swiss Medical Doctors, and my own music producer we were a group of 10 people who started their trip to Tibet on 4^{th May 2006. We almost travelled for a month and we are still overwhelmed by the vastness and beauty of my country and the deep spirituality of the Tibetans. www.Tsedön.com}

The main objective of this trip was to visit the "Tsedön" clinic that our parents had initiated so that we could see first hand what the requirements of the clinic and the staff would be to further improve their activities. The spreading of tuberculosis is of great concern all over Tibet and needs to be taken very seriously. The two Swiss Doctors, Dr. med. Bürgler and Dr. med. Schnyder were a great asset in giving useful advice to our Tibetan Doctors as far as the treatment of tuberculosis was concerned since tuberculosis is being treated with western medicine only.

This autumn Swiss National TV will show the documentary film on this trip and I am very grateful to the film maker Kurt Frischknecht und his cameraman Bruno Roth to have accompanied me on this important trip and to have captured the beautiful and exciting moments that we had on this trip. I find it is very important to see for all of us, that despite the fact that the political issues with China are still unsolved, there is the possibility for us Tibetans in Exile to be socially active in Tibet and together with our Swiss friends help our people as best as we can.

Please visit our website that will be activated soon for "Tsedön" Clinic if you are interested in more detailed information about our trip and in case you would like to support our project.

Foto by Dr. med. Paul Bürgler

I was so surprised to hear from my collegue shortly before my concert on 4th November 2004 in the St. Peter Church of Zürich, that Chris von Rohr was sitting in the audience. It was at a time when the whole Swiss Nation was watching the Swiss Casting Show "Music Star" and Chris was one of the judges whose statements were feared because they could be very direct sometimes.

We became very good friends and I believe Chris is blessed with the ability to reach out to people and give them food for thought about themselves and the society. I feel honored that he loves my music.

As it is always one of His Holiness’ great wishes to emphasize on the importance of interfaith dialogue and showing respect to each other’s religious values, I am so delighted that this interfaith meeting between His Holiness the 14. Dalai Lama of Tibet and the Abbot Martin Werlen has been able to take place last year in the Benedictine church of Einsiedeln with thousands of people attending.

As some of you might know, I was so privileged and honoured last year on 2^{nd August 2005 when I was allowed to sing a Tibetan Peace Prayer Song for His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the interfaith meeting with the Benedictine Church of Einsiedeln in Switzerland. I shall never forget the moment when I went on stage and I felt the presence of His Holiness so closely and I deeply felt his unique energy of love and compassion . As I sang for His Holiness I felt so much joy and gratitude and I prayed that I would manage to connect all the hearts with my song.  When His Holiness closed his eyes and folded both his Hands into the gesture of prayer I realized that in that moment the seeds of peace had been planted in the hearts of thousands of people and that we all had received His Holiness’ blessing.}

^{Foto by Keystone}

My dear colleague Jürg Zurmühle as always accompanied me beautifully on his flute. Whenever he accompanies me with his wonderful music it is a special highlight for me.

Foto by Polyglobemusic

I want to take the opportunity to thank all the people that have made this first public interreligious meeting possible between His Holiness, The Dalai Lama of Tibet and Abbot Martin Werlen in the church of Einsiedeln on 2nd August 2005. I would like to thank especially my two friends Mrs. Regula Curti and Mrs. Susann Bosshard who were the main architects of this important event and I want to thank them for an unforgettable beautiful cooperation.

Foto by Nell Andris