T H I K S E M O N A S T E R Y

L A D A K H , I N D I A

Press Release

F O R I M M E D I A T E R E L E A S E

Press Release

F O R I M M E D I A T E R E L E A S E

S U M M E R S O L S T I C E

2 1 S T J U N E 2 0 1 5

S C R I A B I N I N T H E H I M A L A Y A S

• A once-in-a-lifetime spectacular in the

foothills of the Himalayas

• A multi-sensorial tribute to one of the

greatest visionaries of the 20th century,

Russian composer Alexander Scriabin

• Celebrating the triumph of Light over

darkness this Summer Solstice

• Limited number of 100 concert tickets

released 7th May 2015 alongside an

optional travel package by our partners,

Quintessentially Travel

• A portion of the proceeds are being

donated to the Blue Shield (BS) -

the cultural equivalent of the Red

Cross – and their representative the

International Council on Monuments

and Sites (ICOMOS) who are currently

coordinating an action plan to help

support the restoration of Nepal’s rich

cultural heritage.

Held on the terrace of Thikse Monastery

in Ladakh, India, Scriabin in the

Himalayas is a spectacular multi-sensorial

outdoor concert in tribute to the great

mystic and musical genius, Russian

composer Alexander Scriabin.

The occasion is fitting as exactly 100

years ago, Scriabin passed on to the

finer realms of harmony. His final opus,

Mysterium Magnum, was left unfinished,

and his bold designs of a 7-day long,

synaesthetic concert in a Himalayan

monastery sadly had to be abandoned.

This will be the first performance of

Scriabin’s music ever held at the foothills

of the Himalayas, a realisation of his greatest

dream over a century after its conception.

The concert will take place on the day

of the Summer Solstice, a date rich

with meaning. The progress of the Sun

throughout the year symbolises the

process of attaining enlightenment, and

Summer Solstice is the final climax of this

journey, celebrating triumph of Light over

darkness and the union of self with the

Divine - motifs of paramount importance

to Sciabin’s mystical philosophy.

The programme will include his greatest

works for solo piano as well as Vocalises

and a unique transcription of “The

Divine Poem” for piano four hands.

An interactive light installation based

on his unique colour-tonal system will

bring together sound and vision, with

traditional Himalayan Cham dancers

providing the element of touch and

movement alongside an olfactory score of

timed scent diffusions.

Altogether, this will be a moving, symbolic

homage to one of the greatest visionaries of

the 20th century.

Thikse Gompa is the largest Tibetan

Buddhist monastery in central Ladakh,

India. Located at an altitude of 3,600

metres (11,800 ft) approximately 19

kilometres east of Leh, Thikse is notable

for its resemblance to the famous Potala

Palace in Lhasa, Tibet and commands

breath-taking views of the Indus Valley

and the Himalayas. It is a twelve-story

complex that houses many items of

Buddhist art including stupas, statues,

thangkas, wall paintings and swords. It

also contains the largest statue of Buddha

in Ladakh (15m), kept inside Maitreya

Temple and famously featured in Ron

Fricke’s film Samsara.

The Concept

The Location

In Brief

The Programme

“Through

Struggle

to

Light”

Part One Part Two

( 2 H O U R S )

Begins at midday while the sun is at its

highest point of the year.

Performed by Matthew Bengtson (piano)

alongside Himalayan Cham dance

and an olfactory score of timed scent

diffusions.

( 1 . 5 H O U R S )

Begins just before sunset and continues

into the dusk.

Performed by Neil Latchman (tenor),

Coady Green (piano) and Christopher

Smith (piano four hands) alongside

Himalayan Cham dance, an interactive

light show and an olfactory score of

timed scent diffusions.

• Étude op. 2 no. 1 in C# minor

(arr. for LH by Jay Reise)

• Sonata no. 1, op. 6 in F minor (1893)

• Preludes from op. 11

• Etude op. 8 no. 12 in D# minor

• Mazurka op. 25 no. 4 in E major

• Prelude op. 22 no. 1 in G# minor

• Poème op. 32 no. 1 in F#

• Sonata no. 5, op. 53

• Two Preludes from op. 74

• Sonata no. 6, op. 62

• Prelude op. 67 no. 1

• Sonata no. 9, op. 68 “Black Mass” (1913)

• Deux Poèmes, op. 73

• Poème, op. 63 no. 2 “Étrangeté”

• Sonata no. 7, op. 64 “White Mass” (1911-12)

• Symphony Number 3 op. 43: La Divin

Poème (The Divine Poem) transcription

for piano four hands

• Romance for voice and piano

• Vocalise on op. 8 No. 8 in A♭ major:

Lento (tempo rubato)

• Vocalise on op. 8 No. 5 in E major:

Brioso

• Vocalise on op. 42 No. 4 in B major:

Piacevole

• Études op. 42

• Vocalise on op. 8 No. 11 in B♭ minor:

Andante cantabile

• Vocalise on op. 42 No. 2 in F# minor

• Vocalise on op. 2 No. 1 in C# minor

• Vers la flamme (Poème) op. 72

• Sonata No, 10, op. 70

Neil Latchman

T E N O R

The international career of the

Trinidadian opera singer Neil Latchman

began in 1997 when he was chosen

as the tenor to commemorate the

20th Anniversary of the life of Maria

Callas in London. In London he has

performed as soloist at the Barbican

Centre, the Royal Festival Hall, the

Wigmore Hall, The London Palladium

and St. John’s, Smith Square amongst

other venues. In 1998 Neil made his

debut with The Orchestral Soloists

of The Royal Opera House, Covent

Garden performing the songs of

Tchaikowsky and Rimsky-Korsakov.

Christopher Wayne Smith

P I A N O

Christopher Wayne Smith is an award-

wining solo pianist and chamber artist

who studied at the Royal Welsh College

of Music and Drama and graduated

with honours at the Conservatoire in

2014. He has performed internationally

at notable venues such as Steinway

Hall, Purcell Room, Theatre Mwldan,

and The Academy of Arts in Bulawayo.

Christopher is a board director for the

Liszt Society, regularly sets scores for

the Annual Journal and is also joint

Artistic Director and jury member for

the annual Liszt Society, International

Liszt Piano Competition.

Dagny Rewera

L I G H T I N G D E S I G N E R

Dagny Rewera is an award-winning,

London-based lighting designer with

degrees in Architectural Design from

University of the Arts London and

Product Design from the Royal College

of Art. Her work sits at the cross section

of nature and technology, with an

appreciation of confronting and revealing

the hidden dimensions of our everyday

surroundings. Prior to joining Jason

Bruges Studio in 2013, Dagny worked on

commissions for a wide range of clients

and has exhibited her work collectively

and independently worldwide.

Core of Culture

C H O R E O G R A P H Y

Directed by Joseph Houseal, Core of

Culture (CoC) is an organization that

intervenes on behalf of ancient dances

and their practitioners. Today, CoC has

become a respected facilitator, expert,

creative force, consultant, advocate

and scholarly advisor in the field of

endangered dance. Houseal has overseen

dance preservation and research projects

in Ladakh, Pakistan, Nepal, India, Sri

Lanka, and the Kingdom of Bhutan,

where CoC executed a 5-year project

culminating in a touring exhibition of

Buddhist art and Cham dance.

Anna Gawboy

S C R I A B I N S C H O L A R

Anna Gawboy’s research explores the

intersection of music theory, cultural

history, and musical performance. In

2010 she collaborated with the Yale

Symphony Orchestra and lighting

designer Justin Townsend to produce

a new staging of Alexander Scriabin’s

“Prometheus: The Poem of Fire”, based

on her extensive research regarding

the interaction of music and lighting.

Dr. Gawboy’s articles and essays

have been published internationally

and she has presented her work at a

variety of musical venues including

Music Theory Midwest, New England

Conference of Music Theorists, Society

for Music Theory, and the American

Musicological Association.

Michel Roudnitska

S C E N T A R T I S T

French-born Michel Roudnitska has been

immersed in the world of perfumery since

his early childhood under the influence

of his father, the great scent artist

Edmond Roudnitska. Like all original

compositions, his fragrances bring to

life memories, create dreams and kindle

yearnings. From the luminous dryness of

Frédéric Malle Noir Epices to the elegant

sensuality of Parfums DelRae Amoureuse,

creations of Michel Roudnitska are

marked by sensitivity to form and

originality of expression. Michel has also

been a pioneer of olfactory performances

over the last 20 years having collaborated

on ballet and opera productions around

Europe and Russia.

Coady Green

P I A N O

Coady Green has been described as

“a virtuoso pianist with sensitivity,

intelligence and charm”, and “accurate

and exhilarating” (Musical Opinion,

London), with “a strong and versatile

technique capable of the most delicate

colouring and tonal brilliance, rising

to the challenges of extreme virtuoso

demands with relish” (The Advertiser,

South Australia). He gained his

Bachelor of Music Performance and

Masters of Music Performance, both

with first-class honours, on scholarship

from the University of Melbourne.

Matthew Bengtson

P I A N O

Matthew Bengtson is a versatile pianist,

harpsichordist, and fortepianist who

commands a diverse repertoire ranging

from Byrd to Ligeti. He has been

presented as a soloist and chamber

musician in numerous concerts across

Europe, Mexico and America. His

discography includes the recording of

complete Scriabin Sonatas, which The

American Record Guide compared to

legendary performances by Horowitz

and Richter asking, “Has Scriabin

ever been played better?” Fanfare

magazine calls him “a Scriabinist for

the 21st century…upon whom future

generations can rely for definitive

interpretations.”

The

Participants

Steinway & Sons

S T E I N WA Y. C O M

Steinway & Sons was founded in 1853

by German immigrant Henry Engelhard

Steinway in a Manhattan loft on Varick

Street and is dedicated to the ideal of

making the finest pianos in the world.

The result is instruments renowned for

their unsurpassed quality. Pianos with

such superior sound and responsive touch

that they enchant the most demanding

pianists. Each Steinway grand piano, for

example, takes nearly a year to create.

Quintessentially Travel

Q U I N T E S S E N T I A L L Y T R A V E L . C O M

Quintessentially Travel is the sister

company of Quintessentially, the

world’s leading members-only Lifestyle

Management and Concierge Club. As

a standalone provider of luxury tailor-

made travel, they offer a service that is

available to all, crafting holidays which

are tailor-made from start to finish so

clients are able to explore the globe’s

most glamorous, sought-after and remote

destinations, all while being treated to

VIP benefits and experiences along the

way. They ensure arrival in style be it

by private jet or even on the back of

an Indian elephant! From the ordinary

to the extraordinary, the known to the

unknown, they don’t just create holidays;

they create memories that last a lifetime.

Zanskar Productions

Z A N S K A R P R O D U C T I O N S . C O M

Zanskar Productions is an independent

production company, set up to promote

and document cultural and artistic

initiatives bringing Eastern and Western

traditions closer together. Founded by

a musician, a cinematographer and a

photographer, it explores the medium of

music, film and photography to pursue its

artistic objects and help preserve Eastern

cultures undergoing rapid change.

eks why zed

E K S W H Y Z E D . C O M

A London-based creative agency,

curatorial advisory and ideas studio,

eks why zed bridges the gap between

culture and commerce, offering a range

of services from product, print and digital

design to producing unique exhibition and

events, artistic commissions and bespoke

creative projects.

The Organisers The Partners

Limited number of 100 tickets released

May 7th 2015, priced at £ 2,000 per

person.

Full daytime itinerary and tickets:

S C R I A B I N I N T H E H I M A L A Y A S . C O M

A bespoke travel package is available from

Quintessentially Travel, prices starting at

£ 1,450 per person excluding flights.

Two Suggested Itineraries are available

by clicking the below links:

Shakti Ladakh - 3 Night Programme

Shakti Ladakh - 6 Night Programme

Packages can be purchased by contacting

the Quintessentially Travel London Office:

+ 4 4 ( 0 ) 2 0 7 0 2 2 6 5 6 0

Q U I N T E S S E N T I A L L Y T R A V E L . C O M

Limited Edition Scent

B Y M I C H E L R O U D N I T S K A

Limited Edition Framed Print

B Y E K S W H Y Z E D

Michael Hardy

+ 4 4 ( 0 ) 7 7 1 7 2 5 7 6 0 1

M H A R D Y @ E K S W H Y Z E D . C O M

M E D I A @ S C R I A B I N I N T H E H I M A L A Y A S . C O M

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