Podcast Summary: All Of It with Alison Stewart

Episode: Laurie Anderson Previews Tibet House Benefit
Date: February 26, 2026

Overview

In this episode, host Alison Stewart speaks with acclaimed musician, artist, and Tibet House U.S. Artistic Director Laurie Anderson. The discussion previews the 39th annual Tibet House Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall, delves into Laurie’s personal connection with Tibet, her Buddhist practice, her artistic process, and the significance of preserving Tibetan culture through ongoing creative and communal efforts.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Laurie Anderson's Connection with Tibet and Tibet House

• Laurie’s involvement with Tibet House began in the early 1990s after traveling to Tibet and experiencing its culture firsthand.

  “I went to Tibet for the first time and I thought, wow, we have a Tibet house here. So I joined up. It’s been amazing.” (01:39)

• She vividly recalls the physical and emotional extremes of her visit:

  “We got lost… at 21,000 ft. Oh, my gosh. That’s where planes fly. Tibet is very tall... The top flipped off… in the same state of lack of oxygen. It’s a crazy trip, but it was really wonderful.” (01:56–03:12)

The Role and Experience of Being Artistic Director

• Laurie describes her role at Tibet House US as collaborative:

  “I really don’t deserve this title because I’m kind of along for the ride. It’s really a group effort… It’s always a crazy mix and it’s wonderful.” (03:16)

• The concert is an eclectic, energetic mixture of Tibetan chants, musical performances, and spoken word, reflecting the diversity and vibrancy of Tibetan culture.

Music from the Bardo and Tibetan Spiritual Practices

• Laurie discusses “Songs from the Bardo” (a project based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead), and reads from its instructions for the dying:

  “It’s instructions for people who are dying… I found it really crazy and beautiful what to pay attention to.” (06:29)

• She appreciates Tibetan music for its looseness and life:

  “It has a really interesting tempo… it’s kind of very alive. It’s for being a thing about death, it’s very alive.” (06:53)

Why Carnegie Hall?

• Laurie notes both the iconic, communal significance of the venue and its signature sound:

  “We wanted to find a place kind of like Central Park… iconic and beautiful… It’s a very lively, beautiful place with wonderful sight lines and… feels like a sort of a civic center.” (07:40–09:00)
  “The Philip Glass Ensemble sounds unbelievable there. It just rocks the rafters…” (08:23)

Laurie Anderson’s Buddhist Practice

• Laurie is open about practicing Buddhism:

  “Yes, I am. I do practice that. Yeah.” (09:02)

• She details her entry into meditation at the Insight Meditation Society, spurred by a desire for better focus, but ultimately finding deeper reasons related to pain and self-knowledge:

  “You’re here because of pain… It took me a while to realize that… you are like a library of pain… the body has a kind of mind of its own and you can tap into that in meditation.” (09:10–12:42)

• Laurie values the autonomy and democratizing message of Buddhist practice:

  “You are the Buddha. Everyone is… As an artist, it’s sort of the same thing… you’re just required to be aware. Open your eyes. Look for yourself for what it is. And that’s crack for me, you know…” (12:44)

• She continues to meditate—usually an hour each morning—and expresses curiosity about deeper practices like a “dark retreat”:

  “I’m going to do a dark retreat soon… you go into a pitch-black room and stay there for a few days by yourself… I’m really curious to see what happens to light and your memories and your fear and all sorts of stuff.” (13:47–14:20)

Organizing the Tibet House Benefit and Musical Collaboration

• The concert is described as “super democratic,” with musicians organically collaborating:

  “It’s a really nice way you kind of slide around and play in other people’s things… somebody goes, hey, I need somebody to solo here, and somebody just goes, I’ll do it. …it’s really super democratic…” (15:40)

• The Resistance Revival Chorus and other performers like Debbie Harry, Alison Russell, and Maya Hawke participate, highlighting the event’s diversity.

• New work from Philip Glass (inspired by Lincoln’s 1838 Lyceum Speech) is expected to be featured:

  “Some of Phil Glass’s new work… is going to be in this… I really can’t wait to hear this…” (16:14)

Tibetan Symbolism and the Year of the Fire Horse

• Anderson discusses Tibetan symbolism, noting the beauty and poignancy of prayer flags:

  “I did an image of the horse as wind… I always string up Tibetan prayer flags wherever I am, actually… The Hudson river really rips them apart… but they’re beautiful.” (17:13–18:35)

The Republic of Love: New Artistic Directions

• Laurie talks about her touring project “The Republic of Love,” born from a Viennese festival’s challenge to address government and love:

  “They said, can you give a two hour talk about the relationship of government and love. And I was like, wow… So it started with Cornel West, who said, justice is what love looks like in public. And I thought, right on.” (18:58–20:40)

• She reflects on censorship, quoting Borges:

  “‘Censorship is the mother of metaphor’… If you can’t use words, what they represent starts dropping away… I find that kind of blotting out…” (21:02)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the experience of physical amazement and fear in Tibet:

  “To go down, you have to go up. So we were at 21,000ft. Oh, my gosh. That’s where planes fly.” (01:56)

• On artistic practice and Buddhist self-reliance:

  “All you’re required to do… is be aware. Open your eyes. Look for yourself for what it is. And that’s crack for me, you know… I’m in charge. Okay.” (12:44)

• On collaboration at the Tibet House concert:

  “It’s a really nice way you kind of slide around and play in other people’s things… it’s really super democratic, you know…” (15:40)

• On government, language, and censorship:

  “Censorship is the mother of metaphor. And I really like that because… the number of words that have been cleared out from our federal documents… If you can’t use words, what they represent starts dropping away.” (21:02)

Important Timestamps

• 01:36 — Laurie Anderson’s first involvement with Tibet House
• 03:16 — Her reflections on the role of Artistic Director and the energy of the event
• 04:41 — The making of “Songs from the Bardo”
• 09:02 — Laurie’s journey with Buddhism and meditation
• 13:47 — Laurie’s current meditation practices and interest in a dark retreat
• 14:54 — The democratic spirit of the Tibet House concert
• 16:14 — Philip Glass’s new work inspired by Lincoln
• 17:13–18:34 — Symbolism of the fire horse and prayer flags
• 18:58 — “The Republic of Love” project and on language/censorship
• 22:31 — Laurie’s upcoming appearances and reflections on creative collaboration

Final Notes

This insightful, playful, and, at times, deeply personal discussion situates Laurie Anderson not only as a steward of Tibetan culture but as a lifelong artist engaged with questions of consciousness, collaboration, and the power of art to sustain and transform. The Tibet House Benefit at Carnegie Hall stands as a symbol of living tradition, creative community, and the resilience of culture in changing times.