San Francisco, Tamuke and my new goal.

                                          No, not that San Francisco has anything to do with my future playing or studies, which it does not.  But after my recent travels there and a bit of mental reorganization, I'm ready for a change. The last year of practicing and blowing Ro has been productive. I can pick up Hideo or any of his siblings and blow well, with strength and power or with lightness and still be able to scale Otsu and Kan both. This is where I so wanted to be after a year of only concentrating on scales and breathing, not really memorization of a number of songs nor to perfect only one . I knew there had to be a point to where I could play when I wanted and not be frustrated with embouchure and making any sounds nor by inability to hit Otsu when needed. This is finally within my grasp and is a wonderful reward after laborious days of boring Ro and scales blown. Not that playing or practicing is boring, but two teachers, my own sensei and also another at last years Seattle Matsuri, really agreed that such blowing practice be utilized. I noted in my journal every time I practiced and what I did, daily.

I'm thinking of doing this again in 2016. Keeping a daily practice journal to see how it keeps me in check and doing what I should be. Looking back through this years edition...I did NOT practice enough nor as often as I should have. Why? Family,schedule,time,other distraction?Yeah, all of the above. Running,cycling and a host of other excuses. And every new year I vow to change. Suppose I shall do that yet again. :-P

So what does San Francisco have to do with shakuhachi? More than you might think. As I had some alone time there while out for my running, this time I listened to some shakuhachi music instead of of the usual upbeat rock tunes. I repeated to myself that when in town I would visit the Buddhist temples and centers if I could. We were able to visit the San Francisco Zen Center and also explored both Japantown and the vast reaches of Chinatown, all with Tamuke playing either on my headphones or in my own mind. This is one of my all time favourite honkyoku and THE piece I want to learn to play the most. It has significance to me and my goal to is to play Tamuke at Hug Point, Oregon on the coast, where my father is buried.

Therefore, I'm going to make 2016 my year of  learning to play Tamuke. This printed version from Taniguchi is the only only one I currently own and is a start. There are many recordings of Tamuke out there and what's great about this piece is that so many interpretations can be found, none of them being incorrect. It is a personal piece and one that can be played to one's own style.

It's going to take some time to learn this. I shall still practice and play other things, of course. but this is the goal I have for the future.