A profoundly moving musical journey of compassion, wisdom and healing.
There are some performances you watch, some you listen to — and then there are those rare evenings you simply experience.
Be the Sky, presented as part of the 2026 Brisbane Festival, was undoubtedly one of those nights.
From the moment the Tibetan monks from Chenrezig Institute opened the evening with an extraordinary chant, there was an unmistakable sense that this was going to be something very different. The theatre seemed to quieten, not simply because the audience was listening, but because everyone appeared to be drawn into the moment.
What followed was a deeply moving musical journey led by the extraordinary Tibetan musician Tenzin Choegyal, whose mastery of sound, melody and tradition created an atmosphere that felt both ancient and completely contemporary.
Choegyal was joined by an ensemble of students from the Queensland Conservatorium, with the evening unfolding through a series of collaborations and special guest appearances. Each stage of the performance brought its own character, yet everything remained beautifully connected through a common thread of compassion, spirituality and the power of music.
This was ancestral Tibetan melody meeting contemporary musical expression — and it worked on a level that went far beyond simply hearing beautiful music.
There were moments of extraordinary stillness, moments that felt almost meditative, and others filled with an emotional intensity that seemed to resonate right through the audience.
The collaboration also brought together the musical worlds of Choegyal and legendary composer Philip Glass, whose minimalist musical language has influenced generations. Be the Sky was conceived by Choegyal as a humble offering honouring His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday, while also celebrating his friendship and creative collaboration with Glass.
But perhaps what made the evening so special was the feeling in the room.
There was a quietness among the audience that spoke volumes. People weren’t simply sitting back and watching a performance — they were being taken somewhere.
Somewhere peaceful.
Somewhere reflective.
Somewhere where the sounds seemed to touch something deeper.
Choegyal, raised in exile and now based in Australia, has devoted much of his artistic life to carrying Tibetan culture, stories and musical traditions forward. In Be the Sky, that connection to his heritage was palpable, yet the performance never felt locked in the past. Instead, it demonstrated how ancient traditions can continue to speak powerfully to a contemporary audience.
The Queensland Conservatorium collaboration added another beautiful dimension, bringing emerging musicians into this extraordinary meeting of cultures, generations and musical traditions.
For me, Be the Sky was full of moving emotions. It offered the audience something quite special — a meaningful high that seemed to resonate with each and every person in the room.
It was music, but it was also reflection. It was culture, but it was also connection.
And above all, it was a reminder of the extraordinary ability of music to quieten the mind, open the heart and bring people together.
This was a one-night-only experience — and honestly, it was one of those nights where you simply had to be there.
Tenzin Choegyal didn’t just perform music. He created a space for us to feel it.
And as the final sounds faded, there was a sense that something had shifted — even if only for a little while. Perhaps that is the greatest gift music can give us.
To stop. To listen. To breathe. And simply… be the sky.
Be the Sky was a collaboration with Brisbane Festival, curated and led by Professor Vanessa Tomlinson.
