Published by: World Tibet Network News 97/12/03

Wednesday December 3

Company Press Release

Philip Glass Ensemble to Celebrate Composer's 60th Birthday with Special

Lincoln Center Performances

NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Dec. 3, 1997-- Nonesuch Records has announced the release of composer Philip Glass's ``KUNDUN: MUSIC FROM THE ORIGINAL

SOUNDTRACK.'' The score to Martin Scorsese's film biography of the Dalai Lama is performed by a unique orchestra comprised of Tibetan and Western instruments, led by the composer.

Kundun, which will be released by Walt Disney Productions on Dec. 25th, tells the life story of the 14th Dalai Lama, from his childhood through the Chinese invasion of Tibet, to his journey into exile as he raises the world's consciousness to the plight of his people. The film sees four actors portraying

the Tibetan spiritual leader at the various stages of his life.

In discussing ``KUNDUN: MUSIC FROM THE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK,'' Scorsese calls

his collaboration with Glass ``the realization of a long-cherished dream.''

The director continues: ``(Glass's) Buddhist faith and deep understanding of Tibetan culture combine with the subtlety of his composition to play an essential role in our movie on the life of the Dalai Lama. Philip Glass is an artist of tremendous sensitivity whose music works from the inside of the film, from its heart, to produce a powerful emotional intensity which remains for days in the listener's head...For me, the images in the film no longer stand on their own without Philip Glass's music. I consider myself fortunate, indeed blessed, to have worked with him on Kundun.''

``I wanted to work on the music early on,'' says Glass, who has long been involved with the Tibetan community in both India and the United States. ``I felt that the only way for the music to be an organic part of the film was to work throughout the entire process of shooting and editing...It was very interactive and I believe that Marty enjoyed it as much as I did.''

December will also see Glass celebrating his 60th birthday with a pair of 30-year career retrospective performances at New York's Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center on December 10th and 12th. The composer, with the Philip Glass Ensemble, will perform a comprehensive selection from the Glass repertoire, including the world premiere live performance of music from the Kundun score. In addition, Glass and his Ensemble will play sections from such pivotal Glass-composed works as ``Einstein On The Beach,'' ``Music In 12 Parts,'' ``Low Symphony,'' ``Koyaanisqatsi,'' and ``Powaqqatsi.''

In the Spring of 1998, Nonesuch Records will release a 10-CD box set which spans the many turns of Glass's unique career. The collection will be divided into four categories of music: film, instrumental, theater, and dance. The box set will feature a number of works especially re-recorded for the collection, including the complete 86-minute soundtrack for Koyaanisqatsi, as well as several new pieces, including ``Symphony No. 2,'' commissioned by the Brooklyn

Philharmonic and recorded in Vienna.