Kristian Kubuay of Oakland, is an artist/entrepreneur/futurist specializing in endangered writing systems and tattoos from the Philippines. As a leading authority for the propagation and instruction of prePhilippine scripts, he launched his own edutainment business specializing in custom art, books, events, technology, and apparel. Kristian has spoken around the world at museums, schools, and companies. His work is wide-reaching that spans across multimedia, traditional practices, and technology. He is currently working on his 8th book, 2nd documentary, education startup, and honing his traditional tattooing practice.

Apprenticeship Program

2024

Pre-colonial Philippine Tattoo with apprentice Iggy Mora

Kristian Kubay will mentor his apprentice, Iggy Mora in traditional pre-colonial Philippine tattoo practices covering a range of skills, including tool making, hand poke marking techniques, storytelling through traditional patterns, and skin stretching. By assisting as a skin stretcher at the mentor’s hand-tapping ceremonies, the apprentice will learn about the traditional symbolic patterns of the diverse ethnolinguistic groups of the Philippines.

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Wang Xiong of Long Beach is a dedicated practitioner of Txiv Xaiv funeral rituals, a cornerstone of Hmong cultural heritage. Mentored by Roger Thao from 1999 to 2005, Wang was among a small group of students at the Qeej Not Gangs who trained intensively in the sacred practices of funeral performance. Since 2005, he has led Txiv Xaiv ceremonies across the United States, bringing his expertise to Hmong communities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Carolina, and beyond.

As a father, Wang is deeply committed to passing on this invaluable tradition to his son, Pha. Recognizing the importance of preparing the next generation, he is encouraged by Pha’s eagerness to learn and embrace their cultural heritage. Together, they ensure that Txiv Xaiv rituals continue to honor the deceased and provide healing for families, safeguarding Hmong traditions for the future.

Apprenticeship Program

2024

Hmong funeral rites with apprentice Pha Xiong.

Wang Xiong will teach his apprentice and 3rd son,  a song-chanting, storytelling Hmong funeral ritual called Txiv Xaiv which is used to bring harmony to the extended family on the last night of the funeral to ensure the deceased family member is free to ascend to the ancestors and be able to watch over the family. 

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Sonam Phunstok of El Cerrito is a celebrated Tibetan opera artist and cultural custodian who began his journey in traditional Tibetan performance arts at the age of 11. Trained at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) in Dharamshala, India, he honed his craft under the guidance of several masters, particularly the late opera master Norbu Tsering. Over decades, Master Sonam has excelled in Tibetan music, dance, theater, and opera, eventually serving as opera master at TIPA, the very institute where his training began.

Now residing in the U.S., he continues to lead and curate Tibetan opera performances, often in collaboration with organizations like Chaksam-pa. For Master Sonam, sharing his knowledge with the younger generation is both a responsibility and a reward. Through mentorship and apprenticeship programs, he aims to ensure the survival and vitality of Tibetan culture in the face of challenges such as displacement, modern influences, and the loss of elder cultural leaders.

Deeply committed to preserving the “heart and soul” of Tibetan identity, Master Sonam sees his work as essential to keeping the spirit of his people alive. He hopes to inspire younger generations, especially those growing up in the West, to connect with and carry forward the rich traditions of Tibetan opera and performance art.

Apprenticeship Program

2024

Tibetan Opera Singing with apprentice Tenzin Thinley

In this apprenticeship, Sonam Phunstok will focus on voice training and the vocalization techniques central to traditional Tibetan opera, specifically the namthar style of singing with his, apprentice Tenzin Thinley. Namthar is an essential element of Tibetan opera, requiring intensive training and deep knowledge of its art form. The mentor artist will guide the apprentice through foundational vocal exercises to build the strength and stamina necessary to perform namthar. While the apprentice already has foundational training in opera dance and movement, this program will prepare them for more significant roles in productions and the ability to perform solo namthar pieces for special occasions.

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Homayun Sakhi of Tracy was born in Kabul in 1976 to a renowned musical lineage. From age ten, he immersed himself in mastering the national instrument, the double-chambered rubab, under his father’s tutelage in the traditional ustâd-shâgird apprenticeship. In 1992, he and his family sought refuge in Peshawar, Pakistan, following the chaos of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. There, Homayun’s exceptional talents gained recognition, making him a popular entertainer known for his diverse repertoire. In 2001, he relocated to Fremont, California, home to the largest Afghan community in the US. There, he introduced his refined rubab style, quickly becoming a local musical leader, and earning national and international acclaim as a performer, teacher, and composer.

Apprenticeship Program

2024

Afghan Rubab  with apprentice Yusef Zara

During this period, Homayun will focus on teaching apprentice, Yusef Zara, Rag Bihag, a composition based on a major scale. The apprentice will be working on developing stamina for the right-hand technique called Dir-Dir, an up-and-down stroke on one or more strings. Also, to evolve the Bachgi technique while playing the melody and stroking the sympathetic strings to create a rhythmic partner.

Living  Cultures

2024

Preservation of the Traditional Afghan Music of Rubob

Preserving Afghan Traditional music through recordings that represent the multi-ethnic music of Afghanistan and in collaboration with scholars to transcribe these melodies for archival purposes laying the framework for a book about the Afghan rubab, covering its history & instructional content aiming to promote learning within our Afghan community.

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Roshni Pillai of San Jose, began her journey in Kathakali at the age of 7, under the guidance of the esteemed Sri. Late Kalamandalam K Gopalakrishnan. Her training continued with Sri. Kalamandalam Keshavan Namboothiri and she is presently mentored by Sri. Kottakkal Harikumar. As a Kathakali practitioner for over 25 years, Roshni has garnered many awards and regularly shares the stage with renowned Kathakali artists in Kerala, the USA, and abroad. While balancing her profession as a design engineer, she continues her pursuit of Kathakali, aiming to introduce and make this ancient classical art form accessible to new audiences. 

Roshni’s Instagram

Apprenticeship Program

2024

Kathakali Dance with apprentice Janhavi Pillai

Janhavi will work with her mentor, also her mother, to deeply explore the complex dialogue and emotional range of the character to portray her effectively on stage. Janhavi’s apprenticeship will deepen her understanding of Kathakali, focusing on mastering the extensive vocabulary of communicative hand gestures and learning advanced ‘Kalaasam’ (concluding pure dance patterns). She will then focus on learning the ‘Sthree Vesham’ (female role) character of Lalitha from the Kathakali play, “Kirmeeravadham”.

Janhavi’s Instagram

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Kala Ramnath of San Mateo, is one of India’s most adept violinists, sliding around the fretboard in a strikingly vocalistic style. Her approach is focused on Hindustani classical music, but she also incorporates ideas from her South Indian roots. In recent years she has performed classically around the world as well as working with musicians from jazz, flamenco, Western classical, and African traditional music. In 2006 she recorded on the Blood Diamond soundtrack, and in 2016 collaborated with the Kronos Quartet, adapting Raag Shuddh Nat (‘nectar’) for a string ensemble. Outside her playing career she seeks to improve the lives of underprivileged children through music through Kalashree, her charitable foundation.

Kala Ramnath’s Instagram

Apprenticeship Program

2024

North Indian Classical Music
with apprentice Aadi Kale

Kala will be working with Aadi on expanding his repertoire of Raags and refining his performance abilities. Through targeted coaching and supervision, they will work on developing a structured approach to improvisation in order to perform new raags with confidence. Additionally, they will be focusing on voice training and improving the steadiness of Aadi’s voice to sing the slow, soulful phrases known as Alaps and enhancing vocal clarity needed for singing high tempo phrases known as Taans.

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Apprenticeship Program

2024

Javanese Gamelan Music

with apprentice Mel Liu

Mel will be working one on one with Joko on the most advanced structure holding instrument, the kendhang. Shared through Joko’s oral tradition, Mel will memorize and apply patterns for lancaran and ladrang song forms, practicing alone for the first month, and then with the ensemble under Joko’s guidance. Mel will also study elaborating instruments, alternating study on the gendér with the bonang every other week and strengthening their technique on the elaborating instruments while mastering their understanding of the concept of iromo—different temporal density flows of beats contained within a gotro (unit of the song structure similar to the concept of a measure).

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Lue Her of Merced, from a young age displayed a keen interest in Hmong culture. This passion led him to pursue knowledge in the arts from elders. During his youth, Lue immersed himself in various Hmong cultural arts, which laid the foundation for his mastery of the arts today. Outside of work, Lue enjoys traveling with his family and exploring new cuisines. He is also passionate about giving back to his community and volunteers his time at Hmong ceremonies. As of 2024, Lue continues to thrive, constantly serving his community with his cultural knowledge and make a positive impact in the Hmong community across America.

 

 

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Apprenticeship Program

2024

Hmong Cultural Art Forms with apprentice Shue Her

Lu and Shue will focus on enhancing Shue’s understanding of key tones, messages, and mediation processes while honing their performance skills. Shue will delve into the intricacies of Hmong music, gaining proficiency in conveying cultural messages through melodies and learning how to mediate harmony through music, serving as a bridge between individuals and cultural traditions. By mastering a diverse repertoire of songs, Shue will deepen their connection to Hmong heritage, becoming a revered custodian of our cultural legacy.

 

 

 

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Ms. Wong’s aspirations are to share and promote cultural experiences through performing arts, giving to the community and sharing with the world her love and passion for music. In her youth her performances were a part of universities and college concerts, Asian Arts Museum grand openings, as well as grand openings of Sacramento’s federal courthouses and SF Main Library.

In her young adulthood, she founded the “China’s Spirit Music Ensemble” to give her growing population of guzheng disciples a “home” to share and develop their skills and understanding for the guzheng, its culture as well as an outlet to share their musical achievements.

Also in the early millennium, she ventured into the exploration of jazz and contemporary guzheng. The passion and collection during her first two decades of  experiences in performing led for deeper exploration into the genre of “World Music” and improvisation. In recent years, she’s hosted numerous recitals and productions with collaborators from all over the Bay Area and different cultures from around the world.  She is currently the director and instructor for “China’s Spirit Music Ensemble”, principal guzheng soloist for a world Jazz ensemble, “The Ultra World X-tet” and a member of the very uniquely fused Irish-Chinese trio “The Lucky Pluckers” alongside Irish harpist, Diana Rowan and Irish violinist Colm O-Riana (combining improvisations with folk Irish and Chinese music as well as new arrangements).  Her improvisational work can also be heard on the collaborated piece “Overcame” by word artist, “Son of Paper’s” latest album. “FROM A ROOFTOP IN CHINATOWN” (released summer 2022).

 Through all her live performances, her audiences respond to her as a passionate and deeply captivating artist who touches the hearts, souls and transcends the senses of the listeners into a world that stretches beyond their imagination. On March 28, 2016 “Listen for Life” presented Ms. Wong with the”Musician of the Heart” award for her performances, achievements and her dedication towards bridging cultures through music and to encourage a new generation of cultural musicians!

Living Cultures Grant

2023

“General’s Aria | Emotion’s Passage in War”

Funding will support Wong’s music composition, two large-scale guzheng concerts focusing on “General’s Aria”, complete with a 20-member ensemble, soloists, and cross-cultural music collaborations.

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Living Cultures Grant

2023

Martial Blessings

Funding will support VC Tang’s training to become the local specialist in the Wai Kru martial blessing dance to be demonstrated at the Berkeley Thai Temple.

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