A spectacular concert
entitled
"A Journey
through Aesthetic Realms" was held
at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington,
DC, two blocks away from the White House,
on the evening of December 27, 1997. This
concertwas a blend of the traditional and
contemporary arts that bridges East and
West, transcending cultural and language
barriers, giving the audience a unique,
original and unforgettable artistic experience.
Among those
attending the concert were the guest of
honor Supreme Master Ching Hai, and other
distinguished guests, including US Senator
Mark Katz and his wife; Ms. Kieu Chinh,
star of the hit movie Joy Luck Club,
and chair of the Au Lac Children's Fund;
Mr. Jim Delgado, director of Volunteer
Services and acting secretary of the General
Office, Department of Veterans Affairs;
Attorney Susan Allen, president of the
Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce,
and her husband, Attorney Paul Allen;
Attorney Maurice White, division chief,
Administrative Office of the US Courts,
and his wife; Attorney Benjamin Wu; Ms.
Ruth Wong; Dr. Mike C. Chen; Dr. Wenxiong
Huang and his wife; and Dr. Arthur Wu
and his wife. An audience of over three
thousand filled the concert hall to partake
in an unforgettable feast of beauty for
the eyes, ears and spirit in the musical
event of the century.
The concert
was conceived by a distinguished Aulacese
musician, Nguyen Dinh Nghia, better known
as the "Magic Flute." Nguyen
Dinh Nghia has spent many years studying
the performing techniques and manufacturing
art of Au Lac's tribal musical instruments,
and later began crafting improved instruments.
He has developed his own superb style
that has given a modern dimension of musical
excellence to the mystical sounds of authentic
tribal instruments. In 1994, Nguyen Dinh
Nghia won the Individual Artist Award
from the Governor of Maryland as the state's
Best Musician in Musical Instrument Performance.
He had reached the pinnacle of his artistic
career.
At the
end of 1996, Nguyen Dinh Nghia and his
family were invited to perform at the
concert, "An Evening of Musical Performance
and Poetry Recital," organized by
the Artist's Association in California.
There he witnessed Supreme Master Ching
Hai, a versatile artist and spiritual
teacher, contributed all proceeds to Aulacese
artists who had faded from people's memories.
Nguyen Dinh Nghia was deeply touched by
this humanitarian deed, and after reading
Supreme Master Ching Hai's spiritual teachings,
was filled with even greater admiration
for this legendary lady.
At the same
time, he was pleasantly surprised to discover
that Supreme Master Ching Hai had become
an inspiration in his artistic life, enabling
him to open up an entirely new musical
realm on a level far beyond his previous
attainments. He achieved major breakthroughs
in his awareness and application of the
sounds of various musical instruments.
He was also greatly inspired in terms
of musical creativity, which elevated
his performance and composition skills
to a spiritual realm of unique beauty.
Hence, Nguyen Dinh Nghia especially planned
this musical event to express his reverence
and appreciation for Supreme Master Ching
Hai.
This grand
gathering featured 25 world-renowned composers
and singers, including "the Beethoven
of Au Lac," Pham Duy; American New
Age musician David Arkenstone; singer
Dalena, who performed in Phantom of
the Opera; and many other celebrated
singers, movie stars, composers and lyricists.
An exhibition
of Supreme Master Ching Hai's artistic
creations was held in the lobby of the
Constitution Hall before and during the
concert. The exhibition featured paintings
and poems written in new lively styles,
fabulous and superbly designed Celestial
Jewelry, and dozens of gorgeous Celestial
Clothes. Visitors to the exhibition were
full of praise for Supreme Master Ching
Hai’s all embracing and outstanding
artistic talents.
"A Journey through Aesthetic Realms"
was an artistic feast presented by a galaxy
of distinguished talents and brilliant
stars. Rich and colorful in content, the
evening's performance reached climax after
climax over a seven-hour-long period that
kept the audience captivated till it’s
the very end.
The stage
was decorated with exquisite images of
classical Greek angels and graceful Eastern
flying apsaras. This, plus the wonderful
and ever-changing stage lighting and stereo
sound effects, and a giant video screen
on either side of the stage that projected
the performance live, added to the audience's
enjoyment of the show.
The show
opened with a touching address by Mr.
Pham Duy, followed by a performance by
twelve little angels dancing in lively
and ingenious steps choreographed to the
tune of "My Love," composed
by Supreme Master Ching Hai. The curtain
on "A Journey through Aesthetic Realms"
was thus raised in a bright and joyful
atmosphere.
The next
performer to come on stage was Dalena,
who sang the song "I Will Forever
Love You," lyrics and music by Supreme
Master Ching Hai. Her clear and melodious
voice expressive of deep feelings relayed
God's love for all, tugging the heartstrings
of the audience. It was at this point
that a spiritual and musical journey unfolded
for all those present.
When New
Age composer David Arkenstone presented
his most recent work, his fresh and fluid
melodies led the audience into his dreamlike
musical stories. The atmosphere of warmth
and spiritual elevation flowing between
the audience and performers struck a chord
deep down in David Arkenstone's heart,
so that he spontaneously played four additional
tunes, one of which was especially dedicated
to Supreme Master Ching Hai. His performance
was as natural as that of a newborn baby.
He repeatedly expressed that he felt highly
honored to be able to take part in this
concert. Down with a heavy flu, he had
originally planned to leave right after
his performance. But he enjoyed the harmonious
and uplifting atmosphere so much that
he stayed to watch the program till the
very end and then joined the other performers
on stage in a farewell tribute.
About halfway
through the concert, Director of American
Veterans & National Coalition of Homeless
Veterans Mark Katz accepted a contribution
of US$100,000 from Supreme Master Ching
Hai on behalf of Mr. Terry Anderson, chairman
of the Au Lac Children’s Fund. World-famous
movie star Ms. Kieu Chinh, chairwoman
of the Fund, went on stage with him. The
contribution will be used to build 40
schools in Au Lac over the next ten years.
Supreme
Master Ching Hai also presented another
US$100,000 to Mr. Jim Delgado, director
of Volunteer Services and acting secretary
of the General Office, Department of Veterans
Affairs, to help low-income American veterans.
Supreme Master Ching Hai observed that
America had lost many sons and daughters
in the Vietnam War, and nothing could
compensate for their loss. She said she
could only show her respect for them through
this humble contribution and hoped that
it would help heal the spiritual wounds
inflicted on both nations by the Vietnam
War. She thanked America for sacrificing
her children for Au Lac, where Supreme
Master Ching Hai Herself was born. Supreme
Master Ching Hai’s magnanimous act
of universal love carried an exceptionally
profound and everlasting significance
in the promotion of world peace.
Two short
films were shown during the concert. One
was a documentary on the life of Supreme
Master Ching Hai, montaged and produced
by Joseph Hieu, a Hollywood actor, producer
and director. For Mr. Hieu, this short
documentary was far more difficult to
produce than a two-hour motion picture.
It was the best and most difficult work
of his career, he said, and he was very
honored to be able to produce a film introducing
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s life
to the world.
The second
video was a documentary film about Supreme
Master Ching Hai’s charitable and
humanitarian efforts since 1988 in providing
disaster relief to various parts of the
world. For years, Supreme Master Ching
Hai and members of Her International Association
have engaged in helping the world's suffering
people, including refugees in various
countries, victims of natural disasters
such as famines, floods, fires, earthquakes,
and volcanic eruptions, as well as senior
citizens without relatives or friends,
families in poverty, homeless people,
and inmates.
Supreme
Master Ching Hai has also been globetrotting
to bring God's love and light to less
fortunate souls in every corner of the
world. The films left the entire audience
deeply moved by Her benevolence. Many
men shed tears. As compassion and concern
for the world’s suffering people
overflowed in the hearts of those present,
the people also became more respectful
toward Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her
noble love and deeds. Ms. Allison Clark,
a stenographer who worked on the English
caption that night, said in all sincerity:
"I had never known or heard of Supreme
Master Ching Hai before tonight, but I
will never forget Her. She is a saint."
A three-time
recipient of the National Billboard Song
Award, the distinguished Aulacese-American
songwriter Mr. Le Quang Anh, had long
been touched by Supreme Master Ching Hai’s
selfless deeds to save the world and Her
utmost efforts to elevate the level of
human consciousness. Thus he wrote a song
titled “Supreme Master Ching Hai”
especially for Her. Supreme Master Ching
Hai's great efforts spoke of Her world
vision, Mr. Le Quang Anh said, which was
why he wrote the lyrics in English so
that the whole world could understand
and learn this song. He also invited Tom
Mahieu, a famous American singer, to sing
the song at the concert.
During his
performance, Mr. Mahieu said that he had
never met Supreme Master Ching Hai before.
However, when he was singing the song,
his heart was so deeply touched that he
ended up singing it twice and invited
the audience to sing along with him. Instantly,
the Hall resounded with sincere singing;
everyone was united as one, and the atmosphere
of the moment was truly touching.
An internationally
renowned singer, the Grand Prix du Disque
award recipient Bach Yen, and her husband
musician Tran Quang Hai, along with Jean
Louis Beydon, a famous French pianist
and director of the Academy of Music in
Vanves, France, specially flew from Paris
to perform in the concert. Bach Yen sang
many songs in excellent French, English,
Spanish and Aulacese. With a rich voice
full of passion and outstanding vocal
techniques, Bach Yen sang to Beydon’s
superb piano accompaniment, intoxicating
the entire audience. She herself was also
deeply immersed in her own performance,
repeatedly performing additional songs
and dedicating them to Supreme Master
Ching Hai. Using his magical vocal skills,
Mr. Tran Quang Hai, Bach Yen’s husband,
gave a remarkable performance.
Other programs
included traditional Aulacese folk songs
and dances, and various melodies composed
from Supreme Master Ching Hai's love poems.
These exquisite and profound, romantic
yet spiritually elevating songs were like
nectar nourishing the souls of all those
present, who yearned for Truth, Love and
Beauty. Among these wasthe duet "Go!
Go! Go!" sung by Dalena and Henry
Chuc. Its lucid and lively rhythm was
full of power and grandeur, holding an
everlasting appeal that seemed to lead
one into the future.
The performance
by Nguyen Dinh Nghia and his family brought
the night's concert to its ultimate climax,
which had an overwhelming effect on the
audience. The musicians played a number
of tribal instruments including the Au
Lac bamboo flute, the Hmong flute, the
rarely heard or seen dan trung,
and the monochord dan bau, whose
origin dates back to the seventh century.
Nguyen Dinh Nghia found that after he
came to know Supreme Master Ching Hai,
his musical attainment had risen to a
greater height as he created meditative
music of a unique style.
On the
night of the concert, he and his grown
children first performed in public "Rainbow
and Waterfall," "Clouds Adrift,"
"Words of the River," and "Chanting
from the Heavens." Their music guided
audience members from dreamlike lives
of transmigration into an awakening of
consciousness, leading to the longing
for enlightenment and the truth about
the cosmos and human life.
The stage lights, with their constantly
changing patterns and colors, created
a miraculous theatrical effect. The ingenious
harmony of the magical instruments played
by these great artists gradually led the
audience into a vast and transcendent,
strange yet familiar state of consciousness.
Each and
every sound of the drums, bells, flutes,
vertical bamboo flutes, thunder, and ocean
tides reverberated in the ears of the
audience, as if to awaken all sentient
beings to attentively listen to the long
separated music from our heavenly homeland.When
"Chanting from the Heavens"
was played to the tune of the "Amitaba
Infinite Light Chant," the entire
audience spontaneously joined in the chorus.
An extremely intense vibration was clearly
felt in the air; people's consciousness
was also uplifted to a pure, holy and
sublime state. The concert hall transcended
the physical level into an ocean of love.
Supreme
Master Ching Hai closed Her eyes and joined
in the chanting, and many members of the
audience were moved to tears. At that
very moment, one truly felt the great
harmony of the world, and the union of
God and humanity. It was indeed a scene
of Heaven on Earth. With all the heavenly
sounds resounding in unison, all of creation
was reunited. "A Journey through
Aesthetic Realms" reached its highest
point with a gently descending curtain.
Nguyen
Dinh Nghia then cordially invited Supreme
Master Ching Hai and all the performers
to come on stage. The musician presented
Supreme Master Ching Hai with a miniature
dan trung, the only one of its kind in
the world, which he had specifically made
for Supreme Master Ching Hai to express
his respect and gratitude for Her. Supreme
Master Ching Hai presented flowers to
all the performing artists, and thanked
them for their enthusiasm and superb performances.
All of the performers said that they were
honored to be able to join this grand
gathering and acknowledged that this program
was the best and most significant that
they had ever attended.
The exuberant
audience stepped out of the concert hall
rejoicing, as if they were still immersed
in the heavenly sounds resounding in their
ears – a true experience of the
reunion of music and spirit. The Truth,
Virtue and Beauty of the Kingdom of God
had elevated everyone's soul back to its
heavenly homeland. (Excerpted
from Supreme Master Ching Hai News Magazine
#89)