MAUI BEAT Tibetan flute virtuoso Nawang Khechog at McCoy . .
Grammy-nominated Tibetan flute player generates calm and relaxation during McCoy Studio visit
One of Tibet’s foremost contemporary musicians, Grammy-nominated flute player Nawang Khechog, will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 28, in the McCoy Studio Theater at Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului, accompanied by Hawaiian music legend Keola Beamer.
Best known for his collaborations with Japenese recording artist Kitaro, Khechog has also performed with a range of artists including Philip Glass, Paul Simon, Richie Havens, Laurie Anderson and Maui’s Peter Kater (on the CD, “The Dance of Innocents”).
Born in Tibet, he and his family was exiled to India following the Chinese invasion in 1949, and he became a Buddhist monk, sponsored by the Dalai Lama. He lived as a hermit for four years in silent retreat in the Himalayan foothills.
Self taught on flute, he says, “It’s a small gift. I have over a dozen CDs, more than 100 songs and they all come to me naturally. I play and I do some Tibetan overtone chanting as well as Mongolian overtone chanting. I will do some chanting for universal love and compassion.”
His soothing playing is known to help generate calm and relaxation.
“It gives some kind of healing effect,” he explains. “The 21st century is very busy, people become very stressed, and they listen to my flute music and they get peace of mind, so I’m very happy. A midwife told me that she delivered 200 babies playing my music. In Seattle, my album, ‘Quiet Mind,’ is played in a hospital.
“I met a monk in India, and they have to study five very complicated texts. It’s very hard. He told me when he gets stressed out he goes into a field and plays my music on a small CD player.”
Living for a few years in Australia, Khechog arrived in America under the auspices of actor
Richard Gere. Khechog calls him “my great angel.”
The award-winning actor was visiting a Tibetan store in New York one day and heard Khechog’s music playing.
“Richard really liked my music,” he recalls. “He was with the Tibet House (cultural center) in New York, and they were organizing an International Year of Tibet; he wanted to bring me from Australia. That’s how I ended up in America.”
The actor also helped Khechog some years ago in India after the car he was traveling in was hit by a truck. Two of his relatives were killed in the accident and he suffered a serious brain injury.
“My ex-wife called him, as I needed a charter flight because of my brain injury. He paid for the flight. He’s always been so kind.”
Khechog is looking forward to returning to Maui to perform with Beamer.
“I’m very excited. He’s a very legendary Hawaiian musician, so I’m really honored to play with Keola.”
The concert will also feature two films. The first is the Maui premiere of the film short, “Supermonk,” directed by Shenang Gyamjo Tamang, which won the audience award at the Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival. It explores an unlikely bond between a young monk and a rebel child soldier.
The world-renowned flute player is the star of the world premiere screening of “Sound of Tibet and Peace.”
“I’m very honored to show it on Maui,” he says. “I love Maui. Richard Gere and Philip Glass are in the film talking about my life story. The Dalai Lama is also in the film. The movie is very positive about music and peace and love and compassion. I’m sure people will love it.”