Amchok Gonpo Dhondup
Listen to Amchok Gonpo Dhondup songs. You can listen to Amchok Gonpo Dhondup's album OM - II (1959) on Gakyi.
Amchok Gonpo Dhondup is sometimes also known as Om Singer and his albums are in in Om sequels.
Biography:: Amchok Gompo Dhundup was born into a nomadic family in a small village called Amchok in the Amdo region of Tibet.
As a nomadic child he spend his days tending animals like yak, sheep, goats and horses. From the age of twelve he was taught
to sing Tibetan opera by a high Tibetan Buddhist monk, to preserve the unique Tibetan culture and ancient heritage. As he got
more training and became skilled in singing and performing Tibetan songs and performing Tibetan songs and playing traditional
instruments, he began to enjoy it more and started his career as an artist.
He joined the Machur Institute of Performing Arts to learn more Tibetan instruments, such as the lute (dranyen), flute, and
mandolin, from the renowned teachers, Palgon and Dao Rui, from the Amdo province in Tibet.
In 1996 he performed for the first time for the public at the Tibetan song and dance competition held in Shinyang, Tibet. At
this time, he feared the traditional Tibetan music and songs would disappear soon if they were not preserved, so he began to
sing and perform ancient Tibetan songs about its culture and the special Tibetan way of life and traveled through the
countryside to perform. Gradually he became a well-known artist and credits the compliments from the people for his inspirations.
He composed songs on the ancient rich traditions of Tibet and praises to the great Buddhist teachers of Tibet. His compositions
and politically sensitive songs were considered a threat to the Chinese authority in Tibet.
In March of 2000, he escaped to India, traveling with fifteen other people, across the high snowy passes of the Himalayas to get
to Nepal and eventually to Dharamsala, India. There he were blessed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who encouraged him to join
the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts and teach traditional Amdo songs to young Tibetans. The Dalai Lama also asked him to
make music albums to preserve Tibet's traditional culture and songs. His albums, many of which have been smuggled into Tibet,
are also available in India, Nepal, Europe, Swiss, Canada and the United States. All his Albums are released under the distinctive
label of "OM". He is also credited with producing the first Video VD by a Tibetan in exile. He has edited the music video as well
as composed music for the VCD.
Recently, he was invited to perform at the Banff Center's “Cultures at Risk” summit in Canada and was able to share the Tibetan culture with the world. He was also invited to be a resident in their Music & Sound program. He is currently living in Canada.
