International Friendship Club Presents an Introduction to Kirtan Chanting Janie Albright Blank - International Friendship Club
March 9, 2015

The International Friendship Club (IFC) will present an Introduction to Kirtan Chanting on Thursday March 12 at 7:00 pm at the IFC Clubhouse.

Classically trained local musician Raoul Díaz de la Garza will lead an hour of Kirtan chanting. Kirtan is call-and-response chanting performed in India's bhakti devotional traditions. Kirtan practice involves chanting mantras in the beautiful ancient language of Sanskrit to the accompaniment of instruments. Raoul will play the harmonium and guide the chants.

Raoul leads monthly Kirtan gatherings at Davannayoga Studio on Matamoros and Corona. His background includes 2 years at Beijing's School of Performing Arts and two years at UC Berkeley as well as 5 years of Private Piano Immersion in Mexico City with Piano Masters. For the past six years he has been the director at Saraswati Multidimensional Creativity. This group explores the creative process of music and language as an expression of consciousness.

Prior to his music career, Raoul's creative background includes being a creative director at McCann Erickson, a well known advertising agency, in Mexico, Japan, and Hong Kong. He spent five years prior producing, editing, and assisting the director for Mandoki films in Mexico City, Mexico.

Raoul leads a meditation group twice per week in his own meditation space in Vallarta and loves to surf, practice yoga and meditate. He has performed live piano concerts in Australia, China, France, India, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, and the USA.He has produced six CD's of piano music composed in India, Japan, and Mexico.

Raoul says,"The attraction that one finds in music makes one wonder if there is a mystery hidden behind it, if there is a language of sound which could be learned. The answer is that the language of music and sound is the language of the soul. It is our inner language, the natural language of life."

"It is the tone and rhythm of sound which have an influence on the tone and rhythm of our being," says Raoul."By the help of music we can tune ourselves to the spheres where we wish to be, aiming to higher planes of expression where we can discover the inner and outer balance of our own bright soul, for understanding, freedom and love."

Kirtan is a major practice in Hindu devotionalism, Sikhism, the Sant traditions and some forms of Buddhism, as well as other religious groups. No background or religious affiliation needed to attend, just an openness and desire to enjoy an hour of relaxing and enlivening chanting!

Admission is 50 pesos or 2 kilos of social service aid (rice, beans, sugar, diapers, toilet paper) donation at the door. Doors open 6:15.

The International Friendship Club is a registered charitable organization in Mexico listed as Club Internacional de la Amistad de Puerto Vallarta A.C. It is located at the northeast corner of the Insurgentes Rio Cuale Bridge above the HSBC Bank, Colonia El Centro, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, 48300. Phone: 322-222-5466. Email: ifcvallarta@gmail.com.

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