Forty monastics of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Choir join the 165-member multi-ethnic Agape International Choir in their breathtaking sanctuary at the Hsi Lai Temple. The Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Monastic Choir celebrates the pristine sound of Buddhist chanting as a way for listeners to immerse themselves in the Buddha’s light of compassion and wisdom. In sutras and other songs that praise the virtues of the Buddhas, the intention of the music is to help purify the human heart and guide sentient beings to enlightenment. The Agape Choir performs songs written by Music Director Dr. Rickie Byars-Beckwith and Spiritual Director of Agape International Spiritual Center, Rev. Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith. The sacred songs are an ancient form of “prayer in celebration”. At the Choir’s core is the commitment of each choir member to live and sing in divine harmony with the One Life. Unified in their intentions, these two groups share a program for an event rich in contrasts.