GIRLS’ CHOIR ELLERHEIN
SEVARA NAZARHKAN
TIIA-ESTER LOITME

GYÖRGY ORBÁN. MISSA NONA
PEETER VÄHI. GREEN TĀRĀ

Contemporary Christian and Buddhist music.

Performed by:
Girls’ Choir Ellerhein
Tiia-Ester Loitme, conductor
Sevara Nazarkhan, vocal (#5)
Trombonists and percussionists of the Estonian National Opera (#5)
Ülle Sander, chorus master (#1–4)
Katrin Kuldjärv, piano (#1–4)

Patronaged by His Holiness XXXVII Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche (#5)
Recorded at Estonian Radio in 2002 (#5) and 2008 (#1–4)
Engineered by Mati Brauer (#1–4), Maido Maadik (#5) and Priit Kuulberg (#5)
Photos from internet and by Peeter Vähi
Designed by Piret Mikk
Booklet texts compiled by Liina Viru

Produced by Ellerhein, Estonian Broadcasting Corporation and Estonian Record Productions
Special thanks to Real World Records (#5)

CD108
2008 Ellerhein
n©b
Manufactured by Sony DADC, Austria

Download, György Orbán. Missa Nona, Sanctus – Benedictus, fragm, 152 sec, mp3, 2387 KB
Download, Peeter Vähi. Green Tārā, fragm, 185 sec, mp3, 4250 KB 

Missa Nona
Lyrics – trad

Missa Nona is a concert setting of the traditional mass ordinary text. György Orbán’s writing is harmonically centric and modal.
The piece was commissioned by the Japanese Women’ Choir Angelica and premièred on March 14th, 2000. Missa Nona requires an ensemble with great mental and physical stamina. The piece is characterised by intricate rhythms and modal shifts that should all blend in beautiful and free choral singing.

Green Tara

Avalokiteshvara strived many years to help all beings achieve Enlightenment. When he had delivered millions of beings, he noticed that there were many more suffering. He started crying out of compassion and his tears formed a lake in which a lotus sprung up. When the lotus opened, the goddess Tārā was revealed, saying “Don’t be sad, I will help you.”
Green Tārā sits on the lotus with her right hand in the mudra of supreme generosity, expressing the ability to give all beings what they need. Her left hand that is raised above her heart is in the refuge-granting mudra: her thumb and index finger are pressed together, symbolising the unity of method and wisdom. The remaining three fingers are extended upward, symbolising Buddha, dharma and sangha. She holds a blue lotus flower in both hands. Both flowers have three blossoms, showing that Tārā, the representation of enlightened action, is the mother of past, present and future Buddhas. Green Tārā has royal silk clothes, rainbow-coloured stockings, a short white blouse and jewellery. The latter symbolise Tārā’s perfect generosity and her high morals. The tiara that she wears on her black hair is adorned with jewels. There is a red ruby in the middle, the symbol of Amitabha, the mentor of Tārā and the head of a Buddhist school. Tara sits on the throne of lotus with her left leg bent up against her body, symbolising the renunciation of earthly pleasures and her right leg extended, showing her readiness to attend to those who call upon her. Her eyes are filled with compassion towards all beings. Her emerald green colour is connected with change and the element of air, expressing her ability to act quickly in order to help all beings. Modern Buddhist folklore is full of stories in which Tārā has snatched people from the jaws of death or has helped people to get away from robbers. Tārā protects from eight fears that have internal and external aspects, such as lions = pride, thieves = delusions, floods = desire and attachment, fire = hatred and anger, elephants = ignorance, snakes = jealousy, evil spirits and demons = doubts and bondage = avarice.

Traditional lyrics compiled by Ven Khenpo Konchok Gyaltsen Rinpoche
English translation by Michael G Essex

To the assembly of the Bhagawati deities,
the embodiment of the Triple Gem,
I and others take refuge until Enlightenment is achieved.
In order to protect all sentient beings from fears of sansara
I cultivate the two types of bodhicitta.

Om Shunyata Jana Vajra Svabhava Atma Koham

All the phenomena of grasping and fixation dissolve into emptiness.
The vast protections manifest from that emptiness.
At the center is a lotus and moon disk.
On that is a green TAM, the nature of ones awareness.
Light radiates and purifies the obscuration of all sentient beings.
It then makes offering to all the Buddhas and returns.
I become Tārā with one face and two arms in giving mudra,
holding a green lotus, two legs in the half lotus posture,
with a dignified youthful form, blue-green in colour,
wearing silken robes and jewel ornaments,
radiating light, in the Sambhogakaya form.
Light manifests to all directions from three syllables
in the three places bringing all the Buddha’s wisdom,
compassion and activities, which dissolve into me.
I become the embodiment of the Sugatas of three times.

Om arya Tare sapari vara argham pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara padyam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara pushpam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara dhupam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara alokam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara ghandhe pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara nevidyam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara shapta pratitsa svaha.

The crowns of gods and demigods pay homage to your lotus feet,
you, who liberate from all unfavorable conditions,
I praise and prostrate to Mother Tārā.

On a moon disk at the heart level is a TAM syllable surrounded by the mantra,
radiating light to all the Buddhas bringing back the blessings which dissolve into me,
revealing the inseparability of appearance and emptiness,
the nature of the infinite qualities of all Buddhas.
Again from the mantra,
infinite light radiates which transforms all outer phenomena into Dewachen,
all beings into Tārā’s forms, all reciting the secret mantra.

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Om arya Tare sapari vara argham pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara padyam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara pushpam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara dhupam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara alokam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara ghandhe pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara nevidyam pratitsa svaha,
Om arya Tare sapari vara shapta pratitsa svaha.

The crowns of gods and demigods pay homage to your lotus feet,
you, who liberate from all unfavorable conditions,
I praise and prostrate to Mother Tārā.

All outer and inner phenomena melt into light and dissolve into me.
I also melt into the nonobjectified unfabricated Dharmadhatu,
the ultimate clear light Dharmakaya, the great bliss.
All is in the Mahamudra state – ordinary mind.

By this virtue and virtue accumulated in sansara and nirvana,
and the innate nature,
may all the mother sentient beings countless as infinite space attain the form of Noble Tārā,
free from rejection and acceptance,
the state of great wisdom which is liberated from the five poisons.

Dorje Chang, Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, Dharma Lord Gampopa,
Phagmodrupa and Lord Drikungpa,
please bestow upon us the most auspicious blessing of all the Kagyu Lamas.
By this virtue may I achieve the all knowing state and may all who travel on the waves of birth,
old age, sickness and death cross the ocean of sansara by defeating all enemies-confusion (the cause of suffering).
Bodhicitta, the excellent and precious mind.
Where it is unborn, may it arise.
Where it is born, may it not decline, but ever increase, higher and higher.

I pray that the Lama may have good health and long life.
I pray that your Dharma activities spread far and wide.
I pray that I may not be separated from you.
As Manjushri and likewise Samantabhadra realized the ultimate state, Buddhahood,
I will follow in their path and share the merit for all sentient beings.
By the blessing of the Buddha who attained the three kayas;
by the blessing of the truth of the unchanging Dharma-as-such;
by the blessing of the indivisible Sangha order;
may the merit I share bear fruit.

By the virtues collected in the three times by myself and all beings in sansara and nirvana,
and the innate root of virtue,
may I and all sentient beings quickly attain unsurpassed, perfect, complete, precious Enlightenment.

May the teaching of the Great Drikungpa Ratna Shri,
who is omniscient, Lord of the Dharma, Master of interdependence,
continue and increase, trough study, practice,
contemplation and meditation until the end of sansara.
Sarva Mangalam.

In the unborn Dharmathatu abides the Reverend Mother, the deity Tārā.
She bestows happiness on all sentient beings.
I request to protect me from all fears.
Trough not understanding oneself as Dharmakaya, one’s mind is overpowered by the kleshas.
Our mother, sentient beings, wander in sansara.
Please protect them, Deity Mother.
If the meaning of Dharma is not born in one’s heart,
one just follows the words of conventional meaning.

Some are deceived by dogma.
Please protect them, Perfect Mother.
It is difficult to realize one’s mind.
Some realize, but do not practice.
Their minds wander to worldly activities.
Please protect them, Deity Mother of Recollection.
Non-dual wisdom is the self-born mind.
By the habits of grasping at duality, some are bound, no matter what they do.
Please protect them, Deity of Non-dual Wisdom.
Although some abide in the Perfect Meaning (shunyata),
they don’t realize the interdependence of cause and effect.
They are ignorant of the meaning of object of knowledge.
Please protect them, Omniscient Deity Mother.
The nature of space is free from boundaries.
Nothing is different from that.
Still, practitioners and disciples don’t realize this.
Please protect them, Perfect Buddha Mother.
 

Ellerhein

Tallinn Children’s Choir was founded in 1951 by Heino Kaljuste. In 1969 the choir was named Ellerhein. A year later, Tiia-Ester Loitme began working with the choir as an assistant conductor and since 1989 she has been the choir’s chief conductor. The choir’s current assistant conductor and music theory teacher is Ülle Sander, the accompanist is Katrin Kuldjärv and the vocal coach is Eha Pärg.

Ellerhein has received wide international acclaim for its beautiful sound and is the winner of many choir competitions. The choir has received the 1st prize in Celje (Slovenia, 1977), Powell River (Canada, 1988), Giessen (Germany, 1990 and 1997), Tolosa (Spain, 1990 and 1997), Nantes (France, 1993), Tallinn (Estonia, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008), Arezzo (Italy, 1994), Ankara (Turkey, 2005), Wuppertal (Germany, 2007), as well as the European Grand Prix in Tolosa (Spain, 1997), Takarazuka (Japan, 1995), Tolosa (Spain, 1997). In 2007 the choir won the Estonian Radio prize “The Best Estonian Choir” and in 2008 they won the Grand Prix at the international choir competition Kathaumixw in Canada. At the same competition they also received the 2nd prize in folk & cultural traditions category.

The choir has been a frequent visitor to Japan, where the highlight of their tour in 2005 was the performance at Tokyo City Opera concert hall. The choir has worked closely with conductor Chifuru Matsubara and as a result, the recording companies BMG, Victor JVC and M&I Company have produced five discs with Ellerhein performing Estonian music. In 2004 the choir’s recording career culminated with the winning of the prestigious Grammy Award for the Virgin Classics recording of Jean Sibelius’ cantatas. In 2005, New York Times named their Virgin Classics recording of Peer Gynt one of the most outstanding recordings of the year. The next year the choir received the BBC Music Magazine award in the category of orchestral music.

Ellerhein has worked with prominent conductors such as Paavo Järvi, Neeme Järvi, Gilbert Kaplan, Andrey Chistyakov, Peeter Lilje, Saulius Sondeckis, Arvo Volmer, Eri Klas, Anu Tali, Chifuru Matsubara, Tõnu Kaljuste, Olari Elts, Andres Mustonen, Paul Mägi and others.

Since 2003 Ellerhein is a member of Europa Cantat, European Federation of Young Choirs.

Tiia-Ester Loitme

Tiia-Ester Loitme graduated from Estonian Academy of Music in 1965 (Prof Gustav Ernesaks). In 1970 she started working with the girls’ choir Ellerhein and since 1989 she has been the choir’s chief conductor. In 1975–81 she simultaneously taught at Estonian Academy of Music, and in 1980 she studied under the guidance of Prof V Sokolov at the Moscow State Conservatoire. Tiia-Ester Loitme has lead Ellerhein to many international victories and her contribution to Estonian music has earned her several prizes, such as Gustav Ernesaks Choir Music Award (1995), Order of the White Star (1997), the Tallinn City Honorary Decoration (1998), the Estonian Cultural Endowment prize (2003), Grammy Award for the best choral performance for the Virgin Classics record of Jean Sibelius’ cantatas (2004), the Third class Order of the White Star (2005), Honorary Member of the Estonian Choral Association (2007), Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette (Japan, 2008), Musician of the Year (2008).

Sevara Nazarkhan

Sevara Nazarkhan is a talented Uzbek singer, songwriter and musician, who possesses a repertoire of beautiful songs based on the sufi tradition and on the rich national Uzbek tradition. Sevara, having a natural enchanting voice, began her career as a singer in 1998 when she started singing at the all female doutar quartet. Her breakthrough came in 2000 when she took part in the Festival WOMAD (World of Music, Art and Dance) in Redding, England. She was signed up by the recording company Real World.
In 2003 Sevara Nazarkhan was nominated the top singer in the Asia-Pacific Region – and won the title in the contest of BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards. A year later, she earned the title “Musician of the Year 2004” in the category of World Music by the BBC. In 2005, she debuted as a producer on the Calabash-released, BBC3-award-winning Gozal Dema.

Distribution in Estonia by Easy-Living Music, reispuk@neti.ee, phone (+372) 51 06058
Download Green Tārā from CCn’C

Other recordings with Ellerhein: The Hand Of God, Ellerhein. Estonian Choral Music
Other recordings of Peeter Vähi: Supreme Silence, A Chant Of Bamboo, To His Highness Salvador D, 2000 Years After The Birth Of Christ, The Path To The Heart Of Asia, Tamula Fire Collage, Sounds Of The Silver Moon

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