MusicTibet.com

Successful Third Tibetan Music Awards

MCLEOD GANJ, India, 7 July 2007 — It was a modest event, yet a very proud moment, for the Tibetan music fraternity on the evening of 30 June when the third Tibetan Music Awards was held.

A total of 17 awards were presented in categories listed in the Nominations page. The event was co-sponsored by the Silk Road Communications.

Grammy nominee Nawang Khechog was specially recognised in the event. He was honoured with a "Special Recognition" award for his contributions in bringing Tibetan music in to the international music scene. His flute presentation made the TIPA auditorium quiet and meditative and let the audience members touch their souls.

Rich tribute was paid to Sholkhang Sonam Dhargay (1922 – 2007), a legendary Tibetan music and performing arts figure, who passed away on 22 January 2007. A page was dedicated for him in the event brochure.

Nyidon and Dhamchoe, who bagged the prize for the Best Act category for their album 'Painful Years', presented one of their favourite scores. However, their third partner Nyima was unable to attend the function. The three members are from the widely renowned 14 singing nuns, who are ex-political prisoners from Tibet's number one prison — Drapchi.

Some other winners of the awards who attended the awards presentation ceremony were — Chondhen, Sonam Gonpo and Ugyen Lhundup of "Thukje Katrin" fame, and Amalia Rubin.

Other artistes who participated were the Dharma Bums, Sonam D Amchay and Dhondup Tashi.

Ugyen Lhundup made the audience laugh with some of his new jokes.

Some other highlights of the event was the presentation of some of the music videos of the winners. Kunga Phuntsok's "Yi re kyo" was undoubtly the favourite of the audience for Best Song. He was also the winner of Best Male Singer.

Amalia Rubin, the winner of the Best International Artiste for Tibet, stunned the audience with her Tibetan songs and dra-nyen (the Tibetan lute).

The Dharma Bums travelled all the way from the US to participate in the event.

Loten Namling's music video with the famous Dutch rock group Heideroosjes received rapturous applause. Their music video United Tibet received the Best Fusion award.

Unlike the previous years, where a grand jury decided the winners from a list of nominations voted upon by the public, we have decided to award the winning prize to the one in each category receiving the maximum number of votes.

The voting was conducted through Tibet Times newspaper and online voting through musictibet.com in May.

The next Tibetan Music Awards will be held on 13 June 2009!