About this project
I'm passionate about sharing Tibetan music and through music, preserving Tibetan culture. I aim to sustain the traditions I was trained in through my music: both with traditional a cappella tracks and through my new folk songs. I have labored to create captivating lyrics that speak to the reality of modern Tibetans-- everything from "Yushu Earthquake" and "Teacher and Student" to "Counting Song" -- a song that aims to teach not only the numbers but also the distinctive Tibetan way of calculating by threes in Amdo Tibetan (not the more common Lhasa language). This new CD, "Tibet in my Heart" will include the full Tibetan lyrics, as well as explanations and translations of the songs into English.
Although I understand that Tibetan folk music will always remain a niche genre and that I am unlikely to be able to support myself from my music alone, I feel that through my art I support not only Tibetan traditions and give voice to Amdo Tibetan people, but I also allow people from around the world to experience Tibetan culture~ although even with your help I'll probably still have a net financial loss for this CD~ in the meantime I will have enriched the lives of everyone who heard it. And that is worth more than money.
Please help me reach not only you through this short video (self edited), but the others down the road who will encounter my music. Not counting song-writing time, my wife and I have put five months into production of the CD; we're not asking you to help us from day one but rather to take a fully recorded and mixed CD (6,000 in costs for studio, engineer and other musicians) and get it mastered, printed (and shipped and taxes paid) and give us a small head start towards promoting the CD.
We hope to have the CD ready for first sales at my October 16th appearance at the World Festival of Sacred Music in Los Angeles and hold a CD release sometime in late October or November. (Of course, you're all invited).
Thank you,
Karjam
FAQ
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Yes, I believe so. As an artist I have experimented with sounds to accompany my music but the melodies, the type of song content and the singing style are 100% Tibetan. I have not incorporated pop cultural influences either in the instrumentation or the singing. The acoustic instruments that accompany the music on this CD heighten the mood and emotional impact of the music, but do not in any way make it less Tibetan as each musician and instrument was required to conform to the Tibetan song structure/rhythm/melody etc and all songs were edited to highlight my vocals and instruments.
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on September 17.
Pledge $14 or more Pledge $14 or more
Handwritten thank you card in Tibetan from Karjam
Pledge $26 or more Pledge $26 or more
"Tibet in My Heart" CD and a handwritten Tibetan thank you card
Pledge $42 or more Pledge $42 or more
"Tibet in My Heart" CD, "Pilgrimage CD" and a handwritten Tibetan thank you card
Pledge $56 or more Pledge $56 or more
"Tibet in My Heart" CD, "Pilgrimage CD" and a handwritten Tibetan thank you card AND a mix-CD of Karjam's favorite Tibetan music to introduce you to some other worthy artists
Pledge $94 or more Pledge $94 or more
7 copies of "Tibet in My Heart" - just think of it as doing your holiday shopping all at once! And of course a thank you card.
Pledge $402 or more Pledge $402 or more
Private concert for you and your friends, by Karjam, in Washington State's San Juan, Skagit, or King County OR in the greater Los Angeles area. If a private concert is desired in another area, Karjam will do it if you provide the transportation costs and a place to stay if needed. November 2011 to May 2012, you set the date.
Project By
Connected as Karjam Saeji (135 friends)
I'm a Tibetan from Gansu Province. I've been a professional performer since I was 18 with the Gannan Tibetan Performing Arts Troupe. I performed with them from 1991 until 2007 when I moved to the US. In America I have worked as a solo performer- singing and playing Tibetan traditional music as well as, increasingly, my own original folk songs. I released a CD, “Pilgrimage” in 2007, and have appeared at several major festivals including the World Festival of Sacred Music and Northwest Folklife Festival.
