Workshops/Lectures

Booking Information

  • by Email – [email protected]
  • or by Telephone at 01425 – 470168,
  • or by mail at 3 Drake Close, Ringwood, Hampshire,  BH24  1UG. UK.

Should you wish for some guidance regarding the type of programme you’d like Frank to give, then please read on.  However, it is also fair to say that each workshop is utterly and spontaneously unique with Frank adapting to who is there. The following demonstrate the range available but Frank doesn’t have ‘prepared’ workshops – simply themes!

Frank Perry can offer any of the following programmes, both singly, or in any order or combination, to suit any event in which you may wish to invite him: –

WORKSHOPS/LECTURES LASTING BETWEEN 1 TO 2 HOURS: –

Audio-visual: THE SINGING BOWLS OF TIBET. This uses Frank’s colour transparencies of the Bowls showing various details and also depicting several types of Bowls; plus some live bowls and extended commentary covering the ancient spiritual symbolism, ancient folklore, philosophy, traditional uses, and answers to some of the most commonly asked questions, plus a demonstration of various playing techniques.

Approximately lasts 80 minutes.

THE SINGING BOWLS OF TIBET: this is in the form of a lecture exploring what is actually known regarding these instruments from seasoned researchers in the field. Also covering the history of Tibet, what the bowls are made of, Tibetan Yoga and the teachings and philosophy of the pre-Buddhist Bon religion plus associations with dzogchen, ngakpas, chodpas, tantras etc. However, this is the only one, which generally excludes live demonstrations upon the Bowls.

Around 50 to 70 minutes.

SACRED SOUND The Religious and Philosophical symbolism and history of the Singing Bowls of Tibet. Using ancient astrological knowledge connected with ancient initiations, working with the sounds of the bowls – the overtone structure, also entering into the psychic dimensions of their sounds including working with the chakras, plus the ancient spiritual associations regarding Bells, their connections with Tantra, and covering the various types of bowls featuring many rare bowls unique to Frank’s collection.  Frank has discovered some 43 different types of bowls.

Around 90 to 120 minutes.

NADA YOGA; The Sacred Path of the Inner Sound with information and exercises regarding this little-known form of yoga (using the sounds of specially designed Tibetan Bowls alongside Nada-Yoga sound-meditations).

From 90 to 120 minutes.

SOUND MEDITATIONS: In-depth meditations, utilising a variety of meditation techniques and most especially involving visualisations originally intended for accompanying the specific Ancient Tibetan Bowls which will be used, also involving Deity yoga.

Roughly from 90 to 120 minutes.

ECHOES OF LOST TIBET begins with a spontaneously improvised live ‘concert’ performance upon the Singing Bowls of Tibet. Frank has a collection of over 200 Tibetan Singing Bowls and, depending upon the means of transport used, this opening ‘Offering of Sound’ may feature anything between 40 and 100 Bowls. The duration of this opening performance is negotiable.  This is followed by setting the bowls in context with uses of such instruments in neighbouring countries. The various types of bowls are then demonstrated extending to a possible list of 43 types.

Anything from 60 to 150 minutes.

THE ANCIENT MAGICAL POWER OF SOUND this is a concert featuring an improvised composition played upon Gongs, Sacred Conch Shell trumpet, Tibetan Bells, Tibetan Singing Bowls and Frank’s Mongolian-style Overtone singing. This generally lasts anything from 45 minutes to 3 hours – or All Night! It may also feature his family joining in on some of the instruments.

ANCIENT TEMPLE OF SOUND this is a generic title covering any performance where Frank uses his entire range of percussion instruments – between 500 and 600 instruments. Symphonic Tuned and Un-Tuned Gongs; Planetary Gongs; Sound Creation Gongs; Sizzle Gongs; Water Gongs; Chinese Gongs; Burmese Gongs; Burmese Meditation Gongs; Javanese Gongs; Antique Temple Bells from China & Japan; Indian Noah Bells; Elephant Bells; Various Bells; Tibetan Bells; Tibetan Singing Bowls; Tibetan Meditation Cymbals; Soundplates / Bellplates; instruments invented and built by Frank:- Petalumines; Ufoms; Pyrahermeezees; Pyrotahermeezees; Nectarine; Planicerv; Spirotapetals; Bamboo Flutes; plus Chinese Flutes; Raintrees; various Wind-Chimes; Bass Walterphone; various Bell chains (Camel Bells; Greek Fisherman’s Bells; Indian Bells etc); Glass Bells & Frank’s Overtone Singing; and sometimes includes Drums; Cymbals; Wood – blocks; Cowbells; Chrometallophone.

Lasts just as long as you like!

BUT it takes 5-7 hours to erect & 3-5 to take down again afterwards !?! – excluding porterage from the van!

SOUND HEALING: This involves a certain amount of explanation, depending upon how much the participants know or want to know regarding the underlying principles of sound healing or spiritual or psychic healing in general. Utilising a synthesis of chakra work, colour, angels, dieties, clairvoyance, the approach of the ancient wisdom teachings to healing, and the unique acoustical sound properties of the ancient Singing Bowls of Tibet (employing Bowl techniques specifically developed by Frank for use in healing). Demonstrations of actual spontaneously improvised sound-healing treatments last around 45 mins per volunteer patient. However, shorter demonstrations/experiences are possible lasting approximately from 10 to 20 minutes per patient. Such an event lasts anything between 90 minutes to 3 hours depending upon the number of inclusions/or not of sound-healing demonstrations.

ANCIENT TIBETAN INITIATION BOWLS: This is similar in content to SACRED SOUND except that it is more experiential  focusing for much longer upon actively listening with the remarkable sounds of the bowls which can lead to transcendent realms of inner Peace and Tranquillity, altered consciousness states, and the effects of these instruments upon the higher psychic planes. In short, it is less intellectual/informative (i.e. involves less talking!) and more deeply spiritual and psychic in tone. Can include some Chakra work using a selection of Bowls specifically designed for use with the different Chakras.

Lasting from 90 to 120 minutes.

THE MAGIC OF SOUND AND COLOUR: this deals with those energies which we find in the psychological and occult aspects of sound and colour. Visualisations and sound-meditations are used to explore what lives in these energy-fields. This can include slides of the paintings of Roerich accompanied by music to illustrate the theme.

Lasts around 90 to 120 minutes.

THE ALCHEMY OF SOUND: features an exploration of the Singing Bowls of Tibet within the context of Chinese and Tibetan Alchemy. This workshop also includes the actual sounds of the bowls played live alongside special meditations with them.

This lasts between 90 and 120 minutes.

THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSIONS OF MUSIC-MAKING: features techniques specifically developed by Frank for guiding his improvisations or ‘spontaneous compositions’ drawing on his many years studying ‘spiritual astrology’ and the correspondences he draws between: – sounds and – planets, zodiac signs, colours, numbers, meditation and musical improvisation.

Around 60 to 120 minutes.

THE MUSIC OF THE SPHERES: Here Frank explores the specific psychological energies of each of the Planets plus the Four Elements and then leads us into ways of listening to the sounds of his different instruments from within this context, helping us to gain a deeper understanding of different sounds.

Lasting from 90 – 150 minutes.

THE ASTROLOGY OF MUSIC: This explores works by leading contemporary composers as viewed through the Astrological filter of their Sun signs utilising Spiritual Astrology and the Initiations of the Four Elements. This talk is illustrated by musical examples, drawing upon Frank’s 27 years experience in spiritual astrology, and lasts approximately four hours. Previously this has been done over two lecture periods of two hours each.

SPIRITUAL ASTROLOGY: This talk covers the various aspects of ‘spiritual’ astrology. Showing how it differs from regular or scientific astrology; the philosophy behind it and the ancient wisdom teachings i.e. karma, dharma, reincarnation, karmic astrology, plus various techniques developed from a holistic philosophy.

Lasts anything from 60 to 120 minutes accordingly.

AWAKENING TO MY SPIRITUAL PATH: This talk explores Frank’s personal experiences of being a trance-medium (Channel) for members of The Great White Brotherhood. This began when he was 16 years old when he discovered that his father was also a medium for this Group. He also speaks regarding his own early psychic experiences.  He brings some of his own psychic portraits of these beings, tape recordings from his seances and shares how this ‘visitation’ completely changed his entire life. Including the influence upon his own music-making. This is largely autobiographical and arose out of requests from several spiritualist churches.

 

ONE DAY/TWO DAY WORKSHOPS: –

 

THE EVOLUTION OF HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS THROUGH THE MUSICAL INTERVALS: This is a very long illustrative lecture; really a one day workshop. Through listening to a number of specially selected ‘world musics’, incorporating the various scales derived from the several intervals and the monochord, we trace the evolution of human consciousness through the “post Atlantean Epochs”, also concluding by introducing many little known composers from this century who have been involved in exploring those musical intervals which lie in our future evolutionary development (Giacinto Scelsi, Iannis Xenakis, Salvatore Sciarrino, Alan Hovhaness etc,).

One/Two Day Workshop.

 

TRANSFORMATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS THROUGH SOUND: This ‘journey through sound’ will cover the origin, history, philosophy, psychic & spiritual qualities/symbolism plus the unique acoustical phenomenon of the Bowls moving on to traditional deep meditations with them, ending the day, after prolonged exposure to these sounds of healing & self-transformation, in a state of spiritual upliftment, deep tranquillity & serenity.

One-Day workshop.

ANCIENT PRIMORDIAL SOUND MAGIC: a one-day workshop to study and apply in practical ways the creative power of sound through which the universe is built. The day will balance the intake of information with exercises and the actual experiences channelled through hearing these ancient instruments of spiritual ritual. Through various combinations of the foregoing shorter workshops on the Singing Bowls listed above we can create longer programmes. During a one-day workshop we enter into deeper states of consciousness after hours of exposure to these powerful instruments. For TWO DAY or WEEK-END WORKSHOPS we generally focus upon the history, symbolism, spiritual significance, the scores of different types/shapes, how & what they’re made of, how to play& hold them on Day One and turn more towards the meditations, contemplations and communion with the inner world-realms during the Day Two. This second day can also feature a session exploring the sound-healing potential of these instruments with short live healing-sessions, whilst a sound-meditation working through the chakras is also commonly included. It is also possible to spend a lot longer exploring the realm of the chakras and their role in our lives. On this second day we are guided into the inner reaches of the world of Sound. Various meditation techniques are used. It sometimes works well to include a concert by Frank (either with or without Roerich) on one of the evenings i.e. the Friday or Saturday. This can be for course members only or open to the general public perhaps helping to cover overall costs.

 

AUDIO-VISUALS FEATURING THE PAINTINGS OF NICHOLAS ROERICH

 

NICHOLAS ROERICH: MESSENGER OF BEAUTY. This is a good introductory Audio – Visual from the Theosophical Society of America with music and spoken text introducing the life and paintings of Roerich (1874 – 1947).  Roerich, a Russian by birth, painted some 7,000 pictures. He was a very great soul. His paintings are concerned not only with the beautiful but also with the deeply spiritual. There are some 160 slides in this show and it lasts some 45 minutes. I also currently have some 10 other shows (Audio Visuals emphasizing Roerich’s paintings) created by myself. These have no text but instead feature music & paintings with either my own music  – on tape or played live upon Tibetan Bowls, Tibetan Bells and Gongs, Overtone singing etc – or the orchestral music of contemporary American composer Alan Hovhaness.

These include: –

THE LEGEND OF SHAMBHALA.   

ALL MEN ARE BROTHERS.   

REALM OF LIGHT.                          

LAND OF THE SHINING ONES.    

RIVER OF LIGHT.

 

And Featuring Frank’s own music: –

TREASURE OF THE MOUNTAINS.   

SHAMBHALA DAIK.  

ZODIAC.                    

HIMALAYAS – ABODE OF LIGHT.  

LOST TREASURE OF THE CATHARS.

 

The idea behind these shows is to synthesise sound and colour together in order to effect changes in our consciousness leading us towards the inner spiritual realms of Light through Beauty. The paintings are grouped according to a theme or an ‘inner journey’ whilst the music complements this goal leading to a powerful experience of the psychic dimensions of sound and colour.  Each show varies in length from between 17 minutes to 60 minutes. In addition to these set shows, I can also offer a study of any number of individual paintings speaking in greater depth concerning Roerich’s intended meaning and/or research into the significance contained within their specific subject matter as required. I can also show a few of the complete sets from the several “Series” of paintings that Roerich composed, which likewise includes some commentary.  Naturally, any combination of the above mentioned list of activities can be arranged into a programme to suit your needs.          Lasting anything from a half-hour programme to a One Day/Two Day Roerich event.

Lectures on NICHOLAS ROERICH. These may feature in-depth analysis of specific paintings plus other areas associated with the various interests, which occupied his life. His paintings fall into three main periods: – the Stone Age, the Theatre and the late Himalayan. For instance, it is also generally little known that he was the inspiration for the Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky.

I have been giving Roerich slide presentations since 1977 and have collected a substantial amount of colour transparencies since that time; whilst I began various sound and colour workshops etc in 1978. I have given over 200 such events at both National and International festivals and various Universities, colleges, Spiritualist churches, Spiritual Centres, New Age Groups and other centres between then and now; plus hundreds of solo concerts and have appeared on 40 releases. (See Biography; Discography and/or Reviews).

          A typical application may run: – Concert on the Bowls; esoteric/psychic/spiritual aspects of the bowls, or lecture; meditation with the bowls. A One Day workshop might be preceded by an evening concert on the bowls and the day concluded with one or more Roerich slide shows in the evening.

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