On Compassion: A Q&A with Sangeeta Kaur
Award-winning singer-songwriter and producer Sangeeta Kaur shares some thoughts about her fourth New Age/Classical Crossover album Compassion featuring elaborate orchestral and choral magic with the Budapest Studio Orchestra, the Budapest Studio Choir & Sterling Ensemble, raising her signature heavenly vocals to angelic levels. Renowned composer and producer, Nicolas Neidhardt, features again on piano and keyboard, while Duy Tran and Danaë Vlasse contribute choral compositions, frequently accompanied by soprano Hila Plitmann. Enhanced by the sonic simplicity of crystal singing bowls, Compassion provides a vocal healing balm for our souls, expressed deeply & emotionally from Sangeeta's heart.
“The songs must serve a true purpose and for anyone being challenged in these times, I am committed to share music that uplifts and inspires the soul,” reveals Sangeeta. “I want my performances to shift the audience’s perspective to a more positive point of view. There is a great personal empowerment and liberation when we allow ourselves to truly be seen. It takes courage and it takes faith. I want these songs to help inspire the journey that redefines the concept of reflection and how we see ourselves.”
Cinematic and hypnotic in sound and scope, Sangeeta alchemizes her Vietnamese American roots, Classical Crossover Operatic expertise and authentic connection with Sacred Mantra Music to create a new sonic and vocal experience. With a great passion for performance, Sangeeta brings an award winning pedigree aligning classical opera training, Kundalini yoga and a deep personal Tibetan Buddhist practice. Her unique style and commitment to honoring her dharma as a Voice for the sacred path, has taken Sangeeta all over the globe. From world renowned venues in the United States such as the Broad Stage and Segerstrom Center for the Arts to Sydney Opera House in Australia, Sangeeta delivers a presence and live experience that is internationally compelling.
She is the first artist to compose a “Mantra Opera,” with Niguma: A Mantra Project and its sequel Ascension. Both are sacred music albums with a blend of classical and contemporary styles written with the intention and thoughtfulness to convey a beautiful and powerful story of awakening. The music and the live production takes us on a journey into discovering our divine truth, calling, and inner powers. It is a journey home into our hearts, and the first works of that kind to congruently combine with a cinematic visual choreography on the stage, building a bridge between the worlds of sacred chant, classical opera and modern dance.
Q: How did you get the idea for your new album Compassion?
SK: My inspiration for producing this album Compassion was from seeing and feeling the world’s suffering. Everyday, there is something tragic that is happening in our world, with our children and with our planet. Some days, I feel an unbearable weight for people, for my loved ones, for the strangers we pass by.
Q: I sense a transformational spiritual foundation for your work. What frames your artistic path?
SK: I’ve learned through years of practicing Yoga and Tibetan Buddhism as well as from everyday life experiences that I am the creator of my universe. I learned that everything -- the things I see, the feelings I feel, all the people I come across and all of the experiences I experience, beautiful and not, are a mere reflection of my consciousness. They are a collection of lifetimes of experiences projected into what I know as my “outer world” I cannot change what’s on the outside or the outer world. To change, I must transform my inner world first because this is where everything comes from. From understanding a little about this, I know that Compassion is about loving oneself and all beings because there is no separation. To have compassion for others IS having compassion for oneself. To help and heal others is to care for and heal oneself. Its profound and it is my Truth.
Q: The songs on the album cover a wide range, what have you selected?
SK: The music on the Compassion album is a compilation of different mantras from different lineages and practices that promote compassion. There are also a few songs with original lyrics and some without any lyrics at all. “Rise Up” came to me when all of the teen shootings were happening. It’s a song to lift the spirits of those who are falling deep into darkness and who need a push into light. The songs like “Transcendence” and “We are One” are songs without word or lyrics that create an experience of wonder and bliss to help the mind stay in an elevated space. I wanted to create an album that was deep yet uplifting to the soul. The first step to change and healing is raising one’s vibration and one’s spirit to a place where he/she can at least have the sense of hope. From there, are infinite possibilities. I hope that Compassion can offer this to the listeners, especially those in need of some inspiration.
Q: How long have you been working with Nicolas Neidhardt?
SK: This is the 4th New Age Classical/Crossover album that I’ve co-written and co-produced with Nicolas Neidhardt. It’s been an ongoing journey together and I’m grateful everyday to have this close creative relationship with Nicolas. After four years of working together, we’ve learned so much about each other including our processes and work ethics. I feel Nicolas knows where my heart is and I feel we are coming closer to creating the “sound” I’ve always been wanting; uplifting, spiritual, edgy with the classical crossover style weaved into it.
Q: How would you describe your process for composing?
SK: For Compassion, as usual I get a download of what my mission is in the moment, what I am being asked to create and this time it was to create music that inspired Compassion. I also was inspired to create an album that felt like a sound bath, but with many human voices, hence the choirs singing throughout the album, plus crystal singing bowls, an instrument that brings balance on many levels including our cellular structure, and the lushness of an orchestra that can break the heart open. From there, I began gathering mantras that promote compassion. I sat with them and sometimes, melodies would come with the perfect rhythmic pulse for a specific mantra.
Other moments, Nicolas started composing a piece and he would share it with me and I’ll write melodies and harmonies over these beautiful pieces of music. In the tradition of a sound bath, I had two pieces that contained nothing but crystal singing bowls and the human voices. Song of Compassion was performed by a 20-piece choir, two solo sopranos and crystal singing bowls. Voices and Crystals was song with myself and singer Hila Plitmann. We improvised all of the vocals and played crystal bowls. There is something so healing with these two elements. Its raw, organic and simple. All of the choral compositions were written by Danaë Vlasse and Duy Tran, two very different composers, in style, but their hearts were definitely on the same page. Most of the time, I don’t plan too much. I have an idea of the message, then I wait, listen and translate what I’m hearing and feeling into songs.
Explore the music and more at https://sangeetakaurmusic.com/
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