The world-famous Gyuto Monks graced Finney Chapel last Friday evening with a two-hour performance of their renowned multi-phonic chanting. Mesmerizing is the best adjective to describe such a performance of culture, tradition and dedication.

The monks have hailed from the Gyuto Monastery in northern India since 1959, when they fled Tibet during the Chinese invasion. Living in exile, they have been keeping their chanting tradition alive, which dates back to the creation of the Gyuto Tantric University in 1474.

The choir is touring to finance the construction of a monastic school in San Jose, California, as well as continuing to support medical facilities back in India. The monks are currently traveling coast to coast for their tour.

Finney was dressed for their performance. The bright setup on stage was striking. Large, colorful sheets were hung as the backdrop, upon which were displayed the flags of the United States and Tibet, tapestries of various Buddhist symbols and a picture of the Dalai Lama. A long string of Tibetan prayer flags ran from balcony to balcony above the stage.

The monks wandered out from behind the dividers to a warm reception from the audience. Dressed in their gold and red robes they sat in a “V” formation on stage in silence while preparing their garments, hats and positions for their first chant. Their hats and parts of their robes were laced with intricate patterns and colorful mastery.

One could hear the monks starting their voices in a normal register and then somehow dropping it to a deep, unfamiliar one. Some listeners may even say that they sing in three octaves at once. The predominant low register is easily heard, but if one listens closely, high overtones created by this technique can be picked out.

The first chant usually lasts over a dozen hours, but for performances the monks shorten the length, they said. Symbolic hand gestures and movements dotted this chant.

There were similarities between traditional American musical idiosyncrasies and the Tibetan chanting, but only at a magnified perspective. For example, one section of chanting that kept reappearing was a sort of call and response with a leading monk who would voice specific words and rhythms that were then followed by the entire group. Another example included an additional walking monk who passed out objects that he later replaced on a central table. For each item being replaced, the monks chanted a certain section, similar to repetitions of a chorus within a song.  

While the first chant had consisted of mostly voice with hand movements and the occasional ringing of small bells, the second chant, an example of the Tantric arts in Tibetan Buddhism, used more instruments, which included short and long brass horns, bells, metal plates clanged together and large upright drums struck with long, curved beaters.

The sound coming from the stage during the second chant, with all of the accompanying instruments, had a much different effect than the first one. The metal clanging, the low horn blows and the deep drum beating gave way to an eerie product.

Possible technical scrutiny, however, was largely secondary to the striking performance and overall aura the evening produced.

Interestingly, the long silence at the beginning of the performance and the general peacefulness during the entire evening made the audience tentative to applaud. People looked a bit confused as if they were unsure about breaking the silence to show their appreciation. After the second chant people were particularly edgy; it was difficult to tell when the performance was over because of its unfamiliarity.

Applause eventually came while the monks smiled at the audience with warm faces. One of the elder monks, along with a younger monk acting as a translator, spoke briefly to relay their intent. He stressed how in this world it does not matter what religion one practices, only that all religions ultimately teach peace and kindness; we should never stop trying for peace on Earth. He also stated that their full chants could reach as long as 16 hours.

The speaking monk provoked thought with his statement of gratitude towards the audience. Time, he observed, is precious in our western society, and he was thankful everyone took the time from their busy schedules to come support their quest to keep their traditions and cultures alive during their lives of exile.