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The distinguished guests included the head of Fo Guang Shan, Venerable Xin Bao; the chairman of Fo Guang University, Venerable Ci Hui; the acting president of the International Buddhist Association, Venerable Ci Rong; the president of Fo Guang Shan University, Dr. Yang Zhaoxiang; the president of Fo Guang University, Dr. He Zhuofei; Executive Director Venerable Yongben, Director of the Buddha Memorial Hall Venerable Ruchang, Chairman of the Gomalan Cultural Foundation Chen Shiwei and Professor Lin Rusen of National Taiwan University attended the event.
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Since Master Hsing Yun founded the Fo Guang Choir in Yilan in 1953, he has been teaching Buddhism by training young students to spread the Dharma through singing, and later established "Human Sounds" to compose Buddhist music. The Lotus Sutra Cantata inherits Master Hsing Yun’s spirit of promoting Buddhism through music, continues to disseminate Buddhist teachings, and allows Buddhism to be combined with cultural and artistic expressions to reach more believers. This concert presents the meaning of the Lotus Sutra in the form of a Western oratorio, and just like the Western oratorio, it becomes a specific form of musical expression.
The concert began with a lecture by the head monk of Fo Guang Shan, Xin Bao. He thanked everyone for coming, as well as the choir and symphony orchestra for participating in the Lotus Sutra. It was a moment of great blessings for everyone to listen to the Lotus Sutra. . He also pointed out that he believed that everyone had copied and listened to the Lotus Sutra, and today they were exposed to the Lotus Sutra through music, which was a bright goal. Afterwards, Master Xinbao also presented "One-stroke Calligraphy" calligraphy to the members of the choir to express his gratitude for their dedication. The
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The formal performance began with the overture "Ode to the Three Treasures", which was arranged by Su Tongyou and performed by the Yilan Philharmonic Orchestra. It was a very beautiful piece of music, and the audience stood up to listen, representing the difference between this concert and ordinary concerts. different. The first half of the performance started with the "Parable of the Prodigal Son" from the Lotus Sutra. The three vocalists, tenor Lin Wenjun, baritone Xu Dezhong, bass Zhang Kunyuan, and the 1953 Fo Guang Choir, Taipei Sixteen Chorus, Taichung Chamber Choir, The beautiful voice of the Keelung Harbor Choir sang the general meaning of the scripture about a poor son who was away from home and was pitied by the Buddha. In the end, he was led by the Buddha and was given the prediction of enlightenment, eventually achieving Buddhahood.
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The second half is a performance of the convenient methods of practice taught by the Buddha in the "Faban Chapter" of the Lotus Sutra. At the Lotus Sutra Assembly, the Buddha expounded the Three Vehicles of Buddhism and demonstrated the convenient methods for ultimately becoming a Buddha. Through the Buddha’s teachings for sentient beings with different opportunities, sentient beings with different foundations can all attain Buddhahood early. He expounds the mystery of the wonderful Dharma and the essence of Buddhist teachings, which is in line with the style of an educator who is a teacher to humans and gods. The mysterious Buddhist teachings are sung under the beautiful voices of baritone Xu Dezhong, bass Zhang Kunyuan, and the Taipei Sixteen Chorus, Tainan Fo Guang Choir, Taichung Chamber Choir, and Keelung Port Choir.
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After the performance, an encore song "Nebula" was performed. This is a Buddhist song with lyrics written by Master Hsing Yun and music arranged by Su Tongyou. All the performers, including musicians, vocalists and choirs, totaled 261 people. They sang the song "Nebula" written by Master Hsing Yun on the stage, and the audience listened in silence. Afterwards, emcees Xiao Nan and Yi Hui from the Department of Buddhist Studies at Fo Guang University also called out the names of the groups that performed today, allowing the audience to thank the performers for their hard work. The performances ended successfully and the audience applauded warmly. In his speech, Yilan Philharmonic Artistic Director and Conductor Xie Yuanfu pointed out that the rehearsal lasted for six hours the day before the performance. The old Bodhisattvas of the choir and all the performers did not finish until nine o'clock in the evening. In the future, they hope to launch Buddhist dramas every year to continue the connection between human music and music. Go down and carry forward the master's spirit.
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Wu Mingze, a member of the 1953 Fo Guang Choir, said that when the Master went to Yilan in 1953 to preach Buddhism, he found that young people liked to sing. He also saw other religions singing hymns to promote their religions, so he wrote a lot of lyrics and asked Yang Yongpu, a teacher at Yilan Middle School, to write the lyrics. Composing music, singing Buddhist songs to spread the Dharma, and letting team members share the Dharma after singing, training young people to be Dharma teachers, and achieving masters like Master Cizhuang, Master Cihui, Master Cirong, Teacher Lin Qingzhi, Teacher Lin Xiumei, etc., to expand the Dharma row. Today, Dean Xie Yuanfu of Fo Guang University, together with teachers Tian Yunliang and Su Tongyou, composed a song based on the Lotus Sutra for everyone to sing. This is also a promotion of Buddhist scriptures, allowing more people to understand that Buddhism can be spread and promoted in various ways. pass. Although the Lotus Sutra oratorio is not easy to sing, I am very happy to be able to participate in this performance. This is also the first time that the Lotus Sutra is promoted in the form of oratorio. It is a great honor to be able to participate in this grand event and be a member of the oratorio. I feel honored.
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Another team member, Principal Chen Linquan, said that he was dumbfounded when he first received the song score. Because there are many songs that I have never sung before and I don’t know how to sing them. But the chief supervisor, Venerable Daoxiang, said that singing Buddhist teachings had great merit, so everyone sang with all their might, and finally performed the entire oratorio. We didn’t expect today’s performance to be so successful and everyone is very happy. Today I have the good fortune to participate in the recital of the Lotus Sutra. It is just like the content of the "Parable of the Prodigal Son". I feel that the Buddha is like a wealthy elder, and I am the son who was lost since childhood and did not even know that I was so rich. . It was not until I returned home that I felt the love of home. Therefore, Buddhist disciples should praise Buddhism and understand that everyone has the possibility of becoming a Buddha, which is to say, "Do not seek the Buddha far away at Mount Lingshan, for Mount Lingshan is only in your heart."
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The concert participants included Professor Xie Yuanfu, artistic director of the Yilan Philharmonic Orchestra, and his wife Ms. Lin Yingying; Professor Zhao Hengzhen, principal of the Yilan Philharmonic Orchestra, and his wife Ms. Chen Caiwei; lyricist Professor Tian Yunliang and his wife; and composer Professor Su Tongyou. , Director Zhang Shijie of the Cultural and Tourism Bureau of Chiayi County Government, Master Daoxiang, the head of the 1953 Fo Guang Choir, Master Miaoqin, Master Miaoxian, Nishihara Yuichi, the honorary benefactor of Fo Guang Shan, Professor Lu Yichan, the artistic director of Tainan Fo Guang Choir, and the 1953 Fo Guang Choir Artistic Director Professor Wei Shuhui, Artistic Director of Taichung Chamber Choir Professor Yang Yizhen, Artistic Director of Keelung Port Choir Professor Pu Xiaoci, and others.
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2024 Songs of the Wonderful Dharma - Lotus Sutra Cantata Charity Concert: Guests and all performers took a group photo after the performance
The head of Fo Guang Shan, Master Xin Bao, gave a talk before the performance
Fo Guang University President He Zhuofei expressed gratitude and encouragement to all performers before the concert
Director of Fo Guang Shan Buddha Memorial Center, Venerable Shi Ruchang
2024 Songs of the Wonderful Dharma - Lotus Sutra Cantata Charity Concert Performance
2024 Song of the Wonderful Dharma - Charity Concert of the Lotus Sutra Cantata Invited the lyricist, composer, orchestra conductor, principal, solo vocalist, and choir instructors to take the stage for the curtain call
2024 Songs of the Wonderful Dharma - Charity Concert of the Lotus Sutra Oratorio attracted more than a thousand spectators to watch the performance at the Dajue Hall of the Buddhist Museum
2024 Song of the Wonderful Dharma - Lotus Sutra Cantata Charity Concert The MC opens the concert and all performers take their places to perform
Performance by vocalists Lin Wenjun and Xu Dezhong
Vocalist Zhang Kunyuan performs
Performance by Yilan Philharmonic Orchestra and Musical Artistic Director Xie Yuanfu
