Melena East profile picture

Melena East

divine resonance

About Me

Melena East is an Australian born vocalist/songwriter of Thai ancestry and has a background in Musical Theatre, Classical Ballet (Checetti Method) & Choreography. Melena graduated from Melbourne University with a Bachelor of Arts/Diploma Creative Arts with majors in Theatre Studies & Humanities and a minor in English [also incl. units in Contemporary Dance (Deakin University). She is currently a student of Music Performance (Jazz Improvisation) at the Victorian College of the Arts. Throughout 2000/01, Melena co-ordinated the Russia House Theatre Restaurant Cabaret Troupe and performed with the Dickens Manor Wedding Reception Band. Past acting include numerous lead roles in plays and musicals with the Adamson Theatre Company, Wesley College. Here she also served as Music/Drama Prefect back in the day. Melena has performed at Crown, Melbourne Concert Hall, Alexander Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, Guild Theatre, Chapel off Chapel, St Paul's Cathedral and at various corporate functions, private weddings and Christmas parties. She has more recently presented her original material at the Sustainable Living Festival (Birrang Mar), First Floor, Wesley Anne, Loop Bar, Voyeurthymic, Big Mouth, Madrone (San Francisco), Akasha '07 (Opening Ceremony), Rainbow Serpent '08 (Opening & Closing Ceremony), Exodus, CERES, The Vineyard, Mudfest (Melbourne University), The College Lawn, Hoyts Cinema's (Glebe), Dante's, Cinque Lire (Monash University) Deakin University & Studio Maui (Hawaii). Melena has performed with The Rush Effect (2002), Radioactive (Michael Franti & Spearhead), Rhian Sheehan & Module (NZ), Moped (San Francisco), Kundalini Dance Temple, OneTr1be (Maya Festival 2007) & Wesley College Big Band. Melena has performed dance works @ the World Rainbow Gathering (Thailand 2007) & with 'Geometric Dance Lynx' & 'Lady Lynx' in 2006 @ Earthdance, 'Day out of Time' (Mayan Calender Festival), 'The Village' (Edinburgh Gardens), 'Carnivale’ NYE 06- St Kilda Foreshore Precinct & Renaissance Festival 07. ************************************************************ **********

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 7/23/2006
Influences: International: Imogen Heap. Jillian Speer. Joni Mitchell. Ella Fitzgerald. Sarah Vaughan. Miles Davis. Chet Baker. Duke Ellington. Jewel. Jack Johnson. Erykah Badu. Zap Mama. Me'Shell Ndegeocello. Lauryn Hill. Bjork. LP Sound Orchestra. Tori Amos. Sarah McLachlan. Leonard Cohen. Jeff Buckley. Ben Harper. Jolie Holland. Bic Runga. Emiliana Torrini. Ani Di Franco. TZU. Rhian Sheehan. Norah Jones. Carrie Tree. Sigur Ros. Nitin Sawhney. Nina Simone. Antonio Carlos Jobim. Astrid Gilberto. Michael Franti & Spearhead Crew. Marley & Sons. Madeleine Peyroux. Diana Krall. Cassandra Wilson. Rhian Sheehan. Module. Goddess Alchemy Project. Goapele. Eva Cassidy. Paula Cole.Australian: The Genie. Missy Higgins. Cat Empire. Kasey Chambers. Kate Miller-Heidki. Selena Cross. Alison Wedding. Nina Ferro. VCA music School. Sophie Brous. Rebecca Ari. Daniel Zisin. Tinpan Orange. Gian Slater. Cossimo Ciccone. Selwa. Mr B! Mihi Rangi. Blue King Brown. Sarita. Miso. Combat Wombat. Band formerly known as the Rush Effect. Rowland Schultz. Harriet O'Donnell. Jo Kelly-Stevenson. Katie Noonan. Dancers - Tracey Ogle. Anne Butler. Miss Vera, Madhu, Carla, Peta, Kala, Simone, Jasmine. Michaela.Alongside Music/Creative Arts ~ Grass Roots Vision Crews Melbourne. Collectives Abundantly Fruitful. Gift of Gaia. Nurturing Light Travellers on the Path. Hope you find eachother with Full Bodies & Breath, Spirited Song and Prayer, Gratitude & Freedom Gentle, Loving Faith. Highest & Blessed Universal Love to You - Simply and Truly, Thanks for Visiting and may you find your Respective Happiness, Peace as your Stardust Graces this Sacred Planet. One Love. DIVINE RESONANCE...origins from the east & england- an australian born rainbow child at heart. a singer/trained musician, dancer, dreamer, writer (arts/creative arts degree)- physical, expressive & introverted also. i love the land, earth, trees- sunshine & water. i am in seventh heaven with a good book- i love linguistics/words- certain & tentative- i am radiantly free in my comfort zone as most people are - think too much/i love thinking! i am in eleventh heaven with nature, whilst potentially ferocious i trust her rhythms implicitly & see that she is a mirror to humanity- i propose that her inner balance could reach perfect harmony if her inhabitants were completely at peace. the dynamism of interwoven threads however, is vast. pay attention to your ecological footprint, the total sum of the parts may soon diminish us to a small few if we do take great care. i tend to philosophy, discussion, intellectual food for thought. wholefoods. we are communal creatures- i love space & solitude- here is where creation greets me & i realise that the end of life cycle journeys is reached in a singular connected way- the essence of existence is togetherness- amongst tribe, people, this earth & her welcomed living beings - animate & inanimate- often the most still & quiet, unassuming things are infact full life-source energies. i approach wisdom with open faith & discernment, intuition is a true guide although not infallible- layers of the intellect & knowing otherwise provide us with different aspects to harness & understand. over-intellectualising is a hinderance & a grace that i am however, grateful for. i am a mel- synonomous with melissa- ['melli':honey: latin] my birth name is pronounced ma-lissa in thai & ma is part of my ancestral lineage: mele-na (le pronounced 'lay'), mel-ea, meli-na, meli-ta, ma-lia, mela [apple:italian] sissa, liss- these are names that have greeted me during this life- all names that embody the essence of who i am as this particular light being. i wonder if i shall make the transition to the prakit/sanskrit ephemeral 'ma' in time & resolve that infact, i already have. i am a community sojourner- adventurous spirit in love with conceptual ideas & theory, eastern philosophy, yoga, artistic expression, adorning the body & self, music = an avenue of love, my voice & body provide sacred temple vitality- spirits-soul-song sisters + brothers. i am an old soul & humbly a learning wildflower gradually taming herself- enchanted & soaking up the good truths that i trust allign with my path- how else do we live honestly & such that we are worthy of this gift of life? what shall you leave in your wake? i am an idealist at my core & for better or worse tend to challenge or shed imbalance like a chameleon- a kind of equilibrium homeostasis guides me well. i am afraid that i was born a city girl though i am a small town, quiet-surrounds girl at my happiest. i see dis-ease in the syncroni-city of city existence & find this a most challenging situation particularly in these complicated times. i think that the city is a trap & an isolating, mechanical, un-natural construct- the antithesis of harmonious, communal life on the land. i am a child of the universe, a child of the counter-culture. i know that i know and know that you know you know so when are we all going to start living more fully?! having said this- i have also somehow learnt to thrive in the city & i see that oasis is findable in this special place that shall always exist as my hometown. i am a custodian of the feminine & of the spiritual temple. the political also- however these days i question my strength in these realms- with support anything is possible & i am learning that to ground with like-minded crew & journey together is essential for sustenance, nourishment, collective soul. from here, we are able to guide & teach, provide a path of age-old wisdom & impart the knowledge that we have nurtured over many years. may we question ourselves always & know when to stand back & when to shimmer * glitter with light radiance- in the embrace of attunement we know when the track is noble, luminous, lush, divine and when not. small things tell us so ever so quietly and we must learn to attentively hear & act upon these sources of simple, clear guidance. doubt is a vice & at times a reasonable character- though we owe to ourselves the sensibility to not listen to the stimulus from where painful derision or criticism originates- often these qualities shall emerge from within & through re-conditioning we shall learn to transcend these limitations. lastly, may we remember the luxuries we are blessed by & think of the whole- when the self is taken care of- send your collective aum further-the collective consciousness & earth is in need. always check in to the source-to the self- as this is a constant journey until the end. i am a shimmer in the sky, an indivisible, invisible, passing quality of life that seeks her niche & is as worthwhile & precious as any that she meets upon her way. when i don't outwardly display this truth, inwardly i am aware & where awareness of presence is, the seedlings of enlightenment patiently settle. the presence & trust required for the ensuing leaps of faith present gradually, moment by moment, as each of these invitations teach us cyclically - at times we progress, at times we digress, regress, progress- backwards, forwards, upside down & all around- at times what we say is subverted for un-admirable purposes- keep walking forward into the moment, into the now! and when as part of the whole you stagnate, slow, turn back to re-learn, find stillness to absorb, quieten to receive, trust that this is exactly as you have chosen & as you need. have the surrender to acknowledge defeat, doubt, questioning & uncertainty- welcome the dark side of the light, the emptiness in the full- for each binary opposition is holistic. see the whole picture & the beauty of the individual parts, see that the day and the world await you with inumerable blessings & opportunities to exist, exude as subtly or openly as you wish. happy co-creating with the miraculous love's that may wish to join hands in affinity & with mutual understanding of our transparency- our sensitivity- open flowers sensing when to open & close petals- protected & receptive to needs as they arise amidst the ebb & flow. trusting, deep breaths* manifesting goodness* clarity-truth seekers* gather! xo x o x o xo namaste.

My Blog

lady lynx @ the botanical gardens

for details on this work in progress, see my blog here:http://cfi.vca.unimelb.edu.au/research/blogs/measthamar tist's who wish to network and share material with other artist's may also like to network...
Posted by Melena East on Sat, 17 May 2008 05:48:00 PST

support sea shepherd

http://www.myspace.com/seashepherd Confessions of a Modern Southern Oceans Pirate"Yes I am a pirate, 200 years too late,The cannons don't' thunder, there's nothing to plunder I'm an over forty victim...
Posted by Melena East on Sun, 20 Jan 2008 07:25:00 PST

markets in december/january

gift shopping for christmas or on the prowl for clothes/jewellery? visit me, my stall & plenty of others at: *st andrews market (past eltham, take the road to king lake). saturdays. 8am-2.30pm....
Posted by Melena East on Sun, 09 Dec 2007 08:18:00 PST

voice from africa

'You see, I was told stories, we were all told stories as kids in Nigeria. We had to tell stories that would keep one another interested, and you weren't allowed to tell stories that everybody else kn...
Posted by Melena East on Sat, 13 Oct 2007 09:37:00 PST

support for/solidarity with burma

pls extend awareness to & thoughtfully activate as per the situation.   vigils are currently scheduled world-wide. 1.refer to: http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/tf.php?cl_tf_sig...
Posted by Melena East on Sat, 29 Sep 2007 02:51:00 PST

lunar eclipse

gentle curvature the lady mun'offers darkness through her light.the full mun' lunar eclipse, ellipse this eve,a true light - true sight....
Posted by Melena East on Tue, 28 Aug 2007 10:50:00 PST

recordings.

'I feel you live'  Co-written. VCA workshop recording. 2006. Approx. '4,000 Myspace plays.'  'Connected'  Rhian Sheehan album recording with vocal effects.  2002.  '1,100...
Posted by Melena East on Tue, 03 Jul 2007 07:21:00 PST

thoughts

Who am I. Who are we...?' Singing is part of my dreamtime.  I have performed on stages since I was knee high to a grasshopper & feel the healing arts in my freedom of expression - Music, danc...
Posted by Melena East on Mon, 25 Jun 2007 03:02:00 PST