Tibetan Philharmonic Orchestra
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The Tibetan Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 2002 as a loose band of artists. It included musicians from a Lhasa-based singing and dancing troupe, art teachers from Tibet University, and folk artists from a famed troupe based 131 kilometers from Lhasa in Shannan Prefecture.
"When we have to meet for rehearsals and performances, it takes time to bring everyone together," Penba said.
"We only have a few pieces we composed on our own. This is our biggest problem," he said, who feels that lack of funds, weak organization and low efficiency are nothing compared to their lack of original pieces. "While most Chinese philharmonic orchestras copy foreign bands, we copy them, the copycats, from the inland regions of China." Despite difficulties, Penba and his friends never give up hope. "Tibet is rich in music and has a huge audience. Symphonies will certainly be popular.
"When we play classical pieces like 'Radetzky March' and 'Carmen' and well-known Chinese and Tibetan pieces, our audiences are fascinated," said Luo Xuelai, a Tibet University teacher and violinist in the orchestra. At least six of his students are in the orchestra.
Stepping out
Penba, who first learned the two-stringed erhu in Beijing and Shanghai and then trained as a conductor, said he feels blessed to have been able to play music throughout his life. "I hope one day the Tibetan Philharmonic Orchestra will perform in world-class music halls around the world. Using Western music, we love to share our unique culture and way of life with the rest of the world. This is what communication is about," he said.
When he gets older, Penba said he will train young musicians to carry on his cause of promoting Tibetan culture. Tibet's regional cultural bureau has pledged to support the orchestra.
"We will create opportunities for them to perform in inland cities and encourage leading artists from other provinces to join them," said Lhaba, a bureau official in charge of art.
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