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Yarkyi 2005- The making of Music:
Tipa, 4th May 2005: As days near towards the annual musical competition between the two groups, with each passing minute, the musical rivalry gains momentum. Ngonpa and Gyalu are back into business making songs, arranging lyrics and discussing manoeuvre. Working late into nights, far from the peering eyes and ears, each member contributes towards their group, a musical piece that expresses their emotion and sentiment. The group than meticulously arrange these pieces so as to give meaning to what they hope to aspire.
Taking on the mantles of their seniors, this year the groups are conducted by senior artiste Mr. Ngodup Paljor and Mr. Tenzin Kelsang. On being asked what tactics Gyalu would employ in winning the competition, Tenzin Kelsang shot back "All work No fun". Airing his apprehension in mustering the old traditional songs, Kelsang describes how the dwindling senior citizens populaces have adverse effects on this cultural transmission. "Even those still alive are usually too old even to demonstrate what little they could memorise. Some time it seems, crude oral transmission and literary fragments are the only means that links this generation of Tibetan youngster towards our ancient performing art" he laments.
On entering the gate of the institution, loud English and Indian numbers from deserted sound box would welcome one. And within the vicinity of this inflated music, behind the closed-door artiste struggle with their brains churning out songs.
The groups are required to perform one optional solo song, 2 traditional folk dances and one optional group song. The solo song is usually a self-composed musical piece that is accompanied by western as well as traditional instrument. As for the other three musical repertoires it is mandatory to maintain traditional trait, that exhibit the true intrinsic musical ingenuity of the respective region.
Ngodup Paljor adds an interesting anecdote, where once he found himself pouring whisky over an old musician to comprehend his musical proficiency. After four hours of gruelling communication and exhausting passive existence, finally the man divulged a folk dance that Ngodup himself have learned here in the institute as a child. Ngodup was at time on a disappointing research trip to one of the Tibetan settlements in search of new folk songs and dance.
The competition is slated to happen on the 27th of May 2005, which mark the founding anniversary of Tibetan Institute of Performing arts. The musical competition will happen in the afternoon between Ngonpa group and Gyalu group, title inspired by characters from Tibetan opera. They will be performing the whole programme before the general public.
Despite the hardship, both the group leaders are optimists and hopefuls that their musical offerings would triumph. And whatever the judgement be, they perceive contributing towards enrichment and preservation of the traditional Tibetan performing art as their ultimate triumph. Just like they say in Tibetan, "Tibet might be the highest plateau, but for the people living there, it all comes down to the way one discipline the mind and the way one look at the things".
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