Marco Dolce is a musician, sound healer, teacher, and best-selling recording artist known as XUMANTRA, internationally-acclaimed for his work with authentic Tibetan singing bowls and gongs. His recordings are in use worldwide by yoga practitioners, alternative healers, meditators, and spiritual seekers of all types. Marco has been hailed by critics as a modern pioneer and master of the contemporary uses of these miraculous instruments.
Marco graduated from Rutgers University where he studied music theory with New York composer Philip Corner, and jazz improvisation with the late, legendary guitarist Ted Dunbar. Afterwards, Marco spent many years as a journeyman guitarist, guitar teacher, songwriter, and bandleader, performing continually in local and European venues, and producing and releasing numerous recordings along the way. He also studied conga drumming and Afro-Cuban percussion at the Drummer’s Collective in New York City with Latin music great Bobby Sanabria.
After a life-changing spiritual awakening, Marco began the practice and study of sacred sound – the use of sound as a medium for healing and spiritual evolution – and was inspired to create new music using instruments from the world’s sacred sound traditions, notably, Tibetan singing bowls, gongs, and percussion and strings of all kinds.
Among his teachers, friends, and collaborators in the realm of sacred sound and sound healing have been such notables as Jonathan Goldman, Don Conreaux, Thea Surasu, Mitch Nur, and Richard Rudis (Karma Sonam Dorje).
Marco’s best-selling recordings under the name XUMANTRA (40,000+ CDs sold) have garnered critical praise and industry awards in the New age music scene, have touched thousands of lives around the world, and are considered benchmarks of excellence in the genre of singing bowl music. His six CD releases on his own XONIC label are reviewed and distributed nationally and have received extensive radio airplay on satellite and syndicated public radio programs.
In addition to his musical background, Marco has spent 20 years of studies encompassing comparative religion, metaphysics, Native American shamanism, Tibetan Buddhism, and alternative medicine. He is a dedicated organic gardener, organic foods activist, and self-taught herbal healer.
Marco aso worked for many years in the corporate world as a technical communicator, and is a New Jersey certified English reacher.