Belonging and the shakuhachi...

                          Back in the late 2000's when I was more formally introduced to the shakuhachi, there were not many resources for study where I lived nor much on the internet as yet. So after finding a teacher in Larry Tyrrell, I searched for any organizations or clubs, groups that might help me to progress. Not much was out there till I found the International Shakuhachi Society as well as the now defunct Shakuhachi BBQ forum. Eventually Facebook and various other groups and forums started to appear for me and I happily joined all I could! Fast forward to my first shakuhachi matsuri in Seattle where I was able to meet other players in person and attend workshops by Kaoru Kakizakai, Ralph Samuelson and my former teacher, Larry Tyrrell. 

     This was an amazing experience of learning and belonging that would prove a powerful motivation to continued study and embracing of all the aspects of this beautiful world! Most of us want to belong, to be part of something with others who are of the same mind and soul. And while I was a beginner then, and still a beginner now (even after fifteen years playing, I'll always be a beginner) and embrace that joyously! Since that event in Seattle in 2014, my adventure has progressed to an amazing degree. With the shakuhachi world now so much more at our fingertips due to the internet, Facebook, Instagram and tech...it is easier than ever to BELONG!! The various concerts, festivals and online events make it better than ever!! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

A new piece and the World Shakuhachi Festival

                  Musical adventures can be so much fun yet sometimes be as frustrating. Last month was just that for me as what was continuing as a delightful path for my own learning abruptly changed with my going back to self study and research. My teacher and I have parted ways due to not being the right match, and that is OK!  Not everyone is a good match for such dynamics and finding the right one continues.

In the meantime, something else presented itself that same week: winning a scholarship to the World Shakuhachi Festival in Texas this April! One thing I never expected, and that was being chosen for this delightful privilege of attending and learning of my favourite instrument! 

 As I peruse the site for this event , my excitement grows in what will be on tap. Workshops, concerts, open mic options as well as meeting so many players and friends! I'm afraid I might be quite the fanboy while there, relishing the opportunity to be around the amazing people and friends I've listened to and chatted with for many years! Some of these incredible players are who inspired me to learn and embrace the shakuhachi!

 In the meantime I have been contemplating which shakuhachi piece I want to learn next. While I have been learning Sanya Sugagaki since December, I honestly am not all that in love with it. It is not a bad piece, not at all . It simply doesn't call to me as one of the compositions I want to learn right now. Also...it is not a real easy piece to learn. So I have looked over what calls to me and will choose soon. Now, I need to practice!!!  🙏

Link to the WSF site!!

https://wsf2025.com/

                         

Ah, the mind and its trickery!

                     As the new year begins, challenges remain in full force and view as far as my shakuhachi journey goes. My last lesson with Sensei Araki was splendid and I learned a lot , especially some tips that will help my melon. Ok, my brain. One source of struggle for me has been the Kinko ryu notation and wrapping my head around it. If I were coming to Kinko as a beginner and fresh in learning, it wouldn't be as much a struggle. But my first teacher as well as subsequent instructors and lessons were rooted in other notations such as Tozan and Myoan. Or different styles of print and handwritten notations. So...when the kinko style was shown to me for reading and practice, my mind melted.  

This score is of Sanya Sugagaki by Satō Seibi and one of a few of this piece I have. When I first saw it, sure...I recognized some of the notes and markings but also was puzzled by many others. This became an instant question for sensei as I was not grasping it. He mentioned perhaps writing the notes down the way I know how from the previous years of instruction. A good idea as this was going to take time. And as I age, this mind is not as sharp as it once was!

Fast forward a month and I've SLOWLY been learning the new notation. It is not easy and this is a challenge for me as a shakuhachi student. I can easily play by ear and fortunately, this is a positive thing when learning shakuhachi as opposed to some instruments. The nuances, ornamentation and dynamics of tone are very important in shakuhachi play and interpretation. Especially tone and colour. This makes my situation a bit better as I pick up on pitch and variations easily. And also a good reason to have a teacher.

Above is the original notation and beginners sheet I started with way back in 2010. Quite a change to go from that to the Kinko notation. So, my new goals this month are to learn the Kinko notation the best that I can and also learn Sanya Sugagaki as well. 🙏

New additions to the shakuhachi family!

 Two new shakuhachi have been added to my growing family of flutes!

     I have been wanting a Kinko style shakuhachi with the same utaguchi insert and yet didn't have the money to purchase one. So, I made a tough decision and decided to trade my two Ellis Pueblo Native flutes for two shakuhachi from a fellow musician in Maryland. After a week of travel and delays, these two lovelies arrived! The one on the left is a 1.8 model from Nomura Godo and has a lovely kinko utaguchi as well as silver accents. Plays sweetly and sounds delightful! The second flute on the right has no hanko but is a 1.9 with a Tozan insert. This is my only bamboo shakuhachi without any bindings.

They both play well and are a welcome addition to the growing collection! As for my playing...that is still and always will be a work in progress! My last lesson with Araki Sensei went very well and I have now added Sakura to my list of pieces. Currently I am working on Sanya Sugugaki which is and will be a big challenge for quite awhile. Yet, even in the few lessons I have had with Kodo Araki VI, there has been much learned and gleaned! I confess that money is tight and I am not sure how many lessons I can afford in the future, but at this point I will do my best .

The shakuhachi itself is not only a beautiful instrument of sound but a work of art! To own these amazing flutes is in itself a pleasure . Even if I were not a player, owning them is a privilege and honor. They also play a role in my spiritual life as well, within the framework of meditation and mindfulness. On this holiday after a week away up north adventuring with a loved one, the time calls for getting back to practice and learning again. The break was necessary for my mind and heart.                                         

A new beginning? What changed?

                                As the remaining months of the year arrive, new dynamics and events have changed my shakuhachi adventure! As of October 2024, my new shakuhachi teacher and sensei is Araki Kodo VI, or Hanz Araki. After much thought and consideration as to whom I could turn to for further instruction as well as someone local to the Pacific Northwest, I asked Araki sensei if he'd consider myself as a possible student. Thankfully, he agreed! Now, there are no illusions as to this when it comes to finances and time. 

As a shakuhachi scholar, student and music lover, I knew that I couldn't follow the traditional route of a student. I simply don't have the finances to take lessons every week, or two weeks. The most I can do is maybe a lesson per month if the budget allows. After two lessons now from my new sensei, I can see this is going to be a very fruitful adventure!

                                    Here is a link to the blog of Araki Kodo VI as well as his website for more information: 

 Kodo Araki VI  (website)

 Kodo Araki VI blog

                           I've decided to restart, or rather, continue my blog here at Shakuhachi Adventures instead of starting a new one. For now, I will post this and then add more next time regarding my studies, shakuhachi flutes as well as other new insights.

                                                          Till then, Namaste! 

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Hiatus

After a rather long hiatus from the shakuhachi due to other pursuits and life in general, I have returned to my roots, pardon the pun. More later on the past year and my goals for the future.

Shakuhachi and Covid 19

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          Seriously? Has it truly been ten months since posting on this blog? Unfortunately, yes. :-(

               And there is no excuse other than letting things get away from me. This included practice and playing of my flutes. Summer and autumn extended into winter and it wasn't until today that I was electronically "kicked in the rear", though not intended, by Kiku Day and her post regarding playing Robuki to the planet for healing and show empathy for those affected. My wee light bulb went off and I was shocked at how long it had been. I felt immediate shame and sadness as well as anger at my lack of discipline.

While I TRY so hard to not beat myself up for such things, I had good cause to this time. Simply put...no excuses due to time constraints. I just have way too many interests and need to make a decision as to whether I want to continue playing this amazing instrument.







           Sure, what a stupid question. Of course I do!! And what a time for this to happen as now I have more time than ever. As of last week, my employment has been postponed for awhile. My job is still there, just that the college has shut down due to safety and the governors orders for non essential functions to be closed. While I will not be getting paid (unemployment rejected due to not having the minimum hours over a calendar year), this will be a good opportunity to start fresh and play again.

           So many months off has made playing really depressing but within an hour I had some stronger Ro notes going on Hideo, my primary shakuhachi. So, out came all the books and music as well as forming my mind around the culture and pieces again. It is amazing how quickly one can get back into the swing of things!!


                   

                         Covid 19 has been devastating to the planet and so many people have died or are infected. This is NOT a flu bug nor something to be taken lightly, as some have maintained. And being such an extrovert has not made this easy. Still, after a week off and away from others (most others), I now know what a perfect time this is to get to work on not only playing my shakuhachi again, but back to meditation and the tings I miss, that really inspired and calmed me, soothed my soul. Life can be horribly demanding and having the mindset and discipline to maintain the positive activities and actions can be tough.


                       Therefore, today marks the start of starting again. Of delving and immersing myself once more into those worlds that made me who I am in many ways. I'll never thank such things as a virus for creating such havoc and pain but most certainly will learn from this and adjust to it in the best way possible! _/||\_ 

                                                                  Namaste!

                                                             

New flute!!

            This year has been a quiet one for my flutes and any playing for a host of many reasons. One is due to the constant busy my schedule is and how much I am doing. The other deals with the fact that the facial hair I have grown is making an embouchure much more difficult and therefore that playing is considerably tougher. So the flutes took a back seat as the classical guitar came out. Still, I find myself still trying to get some decent sounds out of the flutes! Then, a few weeks ago a fella in our flute group saw my Ellis Pueblo flute up for sale (made of maple) and wanted to discuss a trade. Up for offer was his Ellis (https://www.ellisflutes.com/) shakuhachi, also of curly maple.


  So, yes...this was certainly a trade I could do and within a few weeks, the new shakuhachi was in my hands. Amazingly, I was able to get some rich sounds from this flute and lo and behold, apparently the facial hair had grown long enough to allow it to lay flat enough and make an embouchere work, even on Hideo, my beloved bamboo shakuhachi!

                                               Here are a few pics of the new arrival!!

                                                         













This delightful flute is incredible and while no, it is not bamboo, it has qualities that the latter does not. Especially it's stability as regards cracking. I will be playing this flute now and then as it will never replace my Hideo . but what a welcome addition to the collection!

Flute update!

                               It is hard to believe that seven months have passed since the last post here! Where did the time go?! Granted, 2018 was a bitter sweet year filled with some amazing experiences and some heartbreaks as well. So music and flute playing took a bit of a back seat to life events.
But, after a January of 2019 saw a move to a new dwelling, the outlook has changed a bit, all in a very positive direction! The new place has a beautiful view, lots of flora and fauna to keep me company and listen to the music played!

This wetland area behind my place is teeming with wildlife and a joy to play to and observe!


This leads me to the current state of flutes and playing for 2019. My playing and practice in 2018 was fractured for so many reasons, mainly due to relationships and scheduling. Not a good excuse but, there it is. As 2019 motored on into February, I decided to change me facial features a bit, growing out my moustache, patch and adding a chin beard. This has made playing rim blown flutes nearly impossible due to the air stream blockage and no matter who much I try, it simply is not easy nor music producing. So I have decided to take the year off from the shakuhachi and rim blown flutes and to devote 2019 to my Celtic flute and the Irish whistles I have neglected for a bit. As neither is affected by the facial furniture I now sport, it is the perfect time to devote to them!

Routine and daily practice

                                               Daily practice has always been a  problem for me and the last few months of activity in my life have proved to be the kryptonite to me. Between work and relationships, between only having 24 hours in a day and also minding my own self awareness...shakuhachi practice has suffered. Last week I had decided this was going to cease and I would get back on the practice schedule. Since then, it has worked and I have been getting the lungs, fingers and embouchure in shape for essential learning. It always amazes me how quickly my lung capacity and dynamics disappear after only a few months. Fortunately, the embouchure remains and I can play.

                                                      The internet has lately become a great place to scurry back to for refreshers on basics and to get caught up to where I was before life crept back in. YouTube, individual blogs, shakuhachi sites...all have been invaluable to me. And getting the few songs in my fingers back helps a great deal,too. I have been doing my best to stay away from Facebook as it has been a horrible place to be for the most part. No need to detail as to why, with the current political climate in disarray. And this has helped me focus on my Buddhist philosophical studies as well as shakuhachi lessons.

                                                         This brings up the playing of my shakuhachi when meditating or in mindfulness. Fellow shakuhachi player, performer and teacher, Kiku Day, discusses this so very well in her work entitled "Mindful playing, mindful practice: The shakuhachi as a modern meditation tool".
I won't go into great detail here as the work is on the internet to see and read in full (highly recommended), but she brings out some delightful points about meditation and musicians of which I agree..." I believe it is not an easy task to apply meditation to music playing and that it requires as arduous training as any sitting meditation form. I find that people, myself included, are confused by the notions of concentration, flow, and meditation."  This I wholeheartedly agree with! And I have struggled to find that connection between the three dynamics of music, meditation and mindfulness.

                                                         So, I have been trying to re-shape how my meditation and practicing are done, hoping that I can find a happy medium that keeps me stimulated in playing and not "bored" with routine that eventually has me wandering away. Now, this doesn't mean I stop all shakuhachi related activities, far from it. I listen to it daily, watch videos and research history,etc. But the PRACTICING...never something I have been good at.

                                                          Therefore, I shall try my best to play and meditate daily, to combine the two when and if it is appropriate and works. This is my goal for the rest of the year. When December arrives, I hope to see what has happened and where I stand in all of this.

                                             Kiku Day's blog and page ...         Kiku Day




                                                 

New year, New focus, New challenges.

                                                    It has been close to four months since the last blog post and I have been negligent in posting. Shame on me! There have been various reasons as to why but I won't bore you with them as they seriously do not matter! What happens next is key in this journey as it has been years along and my playing is still on an intermediate level and nothing more. With only a few real songs under my belt (the usual numbers for beginners) where my talent lies is with improvisational playing, just composing and enjoying the moments with my flutes. Not only at home, but out and about. Even shooting photos of them to add to my portfolio.

                                             What do I REALLY want to do with my shakuhachi and Native American/Celtic flute playing? Become a performer? As student of the history and lore? Or to simply enjoy the meditative aspects and play for my own pleasure? Well, a tough question to answer in some ways. yes to all of the above but less the affirmative to being a performer. I do want to be able to play in front of others to share my love of the instruments and how much they mean to me but not really interested now in performances otherwise. Call it my fear of not being good enough to play well and that my perfectionist philosophy gets in the way. Fortunately, with both the shakuhachi and Native American flutes, there is a lot of wiggle room in playing that can make the resulting music just fine!

My desire to play the shakuhachi and native flutes for meditation is a strong YES! These are parts of my soul in many ways and when blowing into them, bringing them to life, making music...it is indeed making me a part of the earth, the universe and contributing to it's love and peace. Whether my neighbors believe that is a different opinion. :-)   

                                 
When playing, I will frequently burn sage and Palo Santo wood to purify the space and energize things. It is a beautiful part of my meditation and I cannot imagine doing things differently. When I go to a local park and play, perhaps while i walk or sit next to a tree, the sounds are carried on the breeze and off to whomever hears it, be that the neighbors, canines, cats, insects or my favourites...TREES!!


                                               My goal therefore is not to become a performer, a player in front of audiences. Not to say I won't record my music and share that with the world as I have done that and will continue to. My journey in playing and learning is to enrich my soul, my heart, my mind and to enjoy the travels in life. It sure takes a LOT of pressure off of this student when the thought of playing in front of others ( a few exceptions to that) is not hanging there as a specter. Just be, play, enjoy with NO pressure!


                                                               * Namaste *

Meditation blues...

                                                       Since the last post on this blog, my shakuhachi practice has slowed due to so many things. Then I realized how often I have typed that same whine over the last few years.                                           

                                                                                        Why?                 

                                                     
       Seriously, why is it so hard to practice and keep up with this beautiful instrument and play more? Well, as an extrovert with distractions and shiny things easily overtaking me, there is no wonder why I cannot progress!! Discipline!!! That is what I need most of all. How do I maintain that?

                             

                                                           For two years, between 2014 and 2016, I kept a daily log/journal of my practice times, what I played, songs, etc. And I was pretty good about that, sometimes skipping a day or two. But I never seemed to really progress past the same three or four songs and daily Ro or Tsu exercises. Granted those are very valuable and necessary. My budget isn't able to afford lessons again so I'm still on my own. If I could just keep from being distracted. The shakuhachi is a part of me. A bit of my soul, my mind and heart. And whether in simply meditative play, or learning  piece of honkyoku... it is not something that will be disappearing from my life. Being part of the shakuhachi community is also huge for me, though as of late I have not been delving into that, things being a bit of a mess in the busy sense. Therefore, something needs to change if I have any hope of progressing. A few possibilities:


                                                                       
                                         Mindset.

Why do I HAVE to learn songs and classic Japanese shakuhachi pieces? Well, I DON'T have to but they are an essential part of the repertoire and really need to be played.
But, that does not mean they are a daily goal. I have toyed with the idea of transcribing classical Western piano pieces into shakuhachi music, though sure, some notes need to be adjusted due to scale.



The photo at left truly calls me. We need to stop and take in our surroundings and be happy. Sometimes that means just blowing Ro or any other note we like, practicing breath control or meditating on the sounds, the connection with the soul, the heart. <3     This....this is what I will try to do. Not push myself so that I get discouraged. Enjoy, relax...play.




                                                                           Breathe

My focus has always been on trying to learn songs. But there have been MANY teachers, if not all, who focus us on breathing for the first lessons. In fact, a few have had their students do this for the first entire year before learning more. This, I believe, is sound and solid advice. And , definitely good for the player, whether in performance or meditation.


So, like lat time, I will be keeping a diary and journal of my playing, breathing/playing Ro or any other note to lengthen my breath. This admittedly worked well for me last time and I was able to get to a full minute in playing without taking a breath. though in songs, this was not necessary.






                                                                       Enjoy!


                                           The playing of the shakuhachi means different thing to every player or listener. As a musician of a variety of instruments over the years, none has captivated my like the shakuhachi. And the joy, the feelings and soul that it brings me are truly magical! Why make it a drudgery?



I'm not going to be some professional performer, nor even a busker on the corner. Though I admit the latter sounds fun if i get good enough. But, "getting good enough" is what i need to discount and not concentrate on. Just have fun, enjoy and move on at your own pace!







In final, the new year approaches and again I start with a list of "goals" to accomplish. None of them are absolute and that...makes me happy. Just be. Live. breathe. Enjoy!!  <3 <3 <3

Summer break is over!!

                                  The long break taken from summer's beginning till now is over!

The summer began with family related distractions that included my mother's cancer treatments, work on my photography business and an assortment of things. This seems to be a common thing with me and musical instruments, making it tough to really progress beyond the beginner stages to intermediate. So as usual, I immerse myself in the music, gaining back the desire and thrill that had
overtaken me before. Before you know it, I have returned to the place previously at. This is not a bad thing but not good either, certainly not positive. What I NEED is to have a daily practice routine that
takes my soul to another place. For two years I did this and enjoyed it.

Then, life and other interests creep in and there it goes. Add to this the hair dynamic. Yep, the hair dynamic. As has been mentioned before, adding lip facial hair to the appearance does NOT prove to be positive for playing. Simply put, it is difficult to get the embouchure right on the shakuhachi with a "soul" patch on my lower lip. But damn, I really like the look currently and need to practice and find a way around this. With my Celtic flute and whistles, this is never a problem at all. 

    So, now to work around this feature and make the shakuhachi sound good with said hirsute addition! This moustache combo is a mere 8 weeks old and isn't going anywhere for the time being. Time to accept it.


Well, there is an update. Now all I need to accomplish is a new calendar of practice times and get out the books, CD's and sheet music. Again, I am determined as usual, let's see how it goes.

Needed a break!

                                                       After the last post in March, things changed a wee bit with life and I took a much needed break from flute playing. Life can throw curve balls at one so the best way to deal with that requires adjustments and decisions. The flutes took a rest in their cases for almost two months and my focus went towards my mother and her cancer situation as well as genealogy and running. Admittedly, I have WAY too many interests that I try to devote time to and they need to be whittled down to a manageable number. But really, is that necessary? No, not at all. My focus simply needs to be on whatever I like at that moment. Having so many interests merely makes me a Seumas of all trades and master of none! Therefore, from now through the end of June, my dedicated focus will be shakuhachi, genealogy and Buddhist philosophy as well as running. And mum, of course. :-)

                                                          Shakuhachi wise, my task at hand is getting back to breathing exercises and maintaining a long Ro or Tsu pattern of at least 30 seconds with consistency as I have had some issues lately. My style and embouchure has changed a bit due to the growth of facial hair on my lip. Last month I mentioned how the look I enjoyed was causing some issues with sound production and embouchure obtain-ability. After some determined practice and experimentation, I found that I could indeed play with said hirsuteness and still maintain control. Granted, the level of sound volume and strength is not there as without the patch under my lip, but I shall work with this and see where it takes me. After all, many player including my former teacher, Larry Tyrrell have beards and facial hair in that area without issues. I just need to PRACTICE!

                                                            Music wise, my need to learn more songs and pieces is essential. I'm sad to be so horrible at this with only three small songs completed in all this time. I can improvise well, though , and therefore it has not been a waste of time. Larry's "The Alder Bough" and Koga's Shakuhachi manual will be ALL I delve into until I find I can move on further. Yes, as mentioned last year, "Tamuke" will still be the ultimate piece for me to learn. Still have my sights set on that!

Now....FOCUS!!! Do not let distractions sway me into doing other things. if is is shakuhachi related, that is fine to some degree. I still need to read the new book purchased in February: >>>>>>>>>

This I promise to do by the mid part of May and will report on soon. So many books, so little time!!


Now off I go to practice, read and stay away from electronic devices as much as I can without going insane!!

Springtime flute adventures!

                                                             In December I started to grow a moustache and patch to change up the look a we bit and really have enjoyed having them But, alas, they both completely affected my embouchure and blowing with the shakuhachi and the Celtic flute, making them unplayable and indeed a depressing thought. To NOT play my flutes and enjoy the music I love was simply not going to happen. It was tough to do but I shaved the combo off on Saturday evening and am smooth faced yet again.








What I WILL do this time is grow it back slowly and see at what point of growth the whiskers make the playing difficult. It could be that I'm able to have a few weeks growth and still maintain playability! Day one is starting today, 6 March 2017. Will update next blog post. :-{-)-








                                                              The newest addition to the study and playing guides is the Grey Larson volume on Irish flute and whistle. This successful and truly "essential" book has now found it's way to my collection affter a year of searching. Thank you Powell's Books!! The time is nigh to practice my a** off and get some songs under my belt. This has not been easy, primarily due to my own inability to schedule and stick to it. I have never been good at practicing no matter what instrument. The family tree/genealogy part has taken over a lot of the time I have. Now to readjust my schedule and time!! The Alder Bough by Larry Tyrrell is a great way to learn Celtic music on the shakuhachi!

New shakuhachi book!

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                             Admittedly, with all of the centuries of music, history and culture related to our favourite flute, there isn't a very extensive collection of books pertaining to it translated into English. Granted, just my personal opinion. Now, in Japanese, there are more options and volumes available to the player and aficionado. Some of us find every book that is available and add them to our libraries, enriching the knowledge as best we can.

                             So, a few weeks ago I noticed a post on the Facebook groups regarding a new book of shakuhachi history, entitled " Paintings of Bamboo Flutes: A History and Genealogy of Shakuhachi Performance", authored by Izumi Takeo and translated by Philip Flavin. The dealer for these here in the US was KSK North America, and I had an order in to them right away. After a few days, this handsome, no...downright beautiful, book was in my hands. Now, this happened right before the holidays and with family,work obligations, I didn't get a chance to sit down and thumb through it until this week. The plan is a thorough ready next week with a review right here on this blog. Until then, a brief look:

   
            The cover reminds me a lot of the book by Christopher Blasidel, which is one of my all time favourites. Inside I see numerous colour photos and paintings of the shakuhachi over the years in Japanese art. Everything is lined up well and simply magnificent! There are only 145 pages here but that is plenty for us to sink our teeth into.

                                                Here is the link to the distributor in North America:

                                                                         KSK North America


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Changing gears...

                                            As many know, my interest in music and playing instruments tends to vary depending on time of year and my always busy mind. One moment it is all about the shakuhachi, the next it is back to classical music and all that it offers. Still, again, it will drift to world music, especially Celtic music from Scotland, Ireland and Wales. This is where my heart and head seem to be right now, and I don't know for how long as I simply drift with the wind and go wherever my heart and musical soul take me. Although Celtic music is always with me due to being part of my heritage and blood, right now I'm studying Welsh and Scottish Gaelic, so it seems apropos.

                                            In addition to the love of the music itself, my desire to admire the instruments themselves is a big part. Therefore, I have collected a few whistles and flutes that are used in this most lush and beautiful genre of music. Here is a shot of the whistles I currently own, which include( top to bottom) models from Walton, Clark, Tony Dixon, Feadóg and Oak:

                                               They are in either C or D and play well. The Tony Dixon and Feadóg are my favourites for sure with the best play-ability and the Oak a close second.




The newest, the Tony Dixon whistle in D, is amazing and I'd love to get a Low D flute from his lineup as well. So many Celtic pieces use the whistle or flute (Irish or other) and my sheet music/book lineup has grown a wee bit.






As for the flutes themselves, I have two Celtic flutes, built by Michael Howard of Kolbe Flutes;

The primary flute is a beautiful flute made of bamboo and in a key of C.
Second is the more simple but delightful bamboo flute in D that takes a bit more air but sounds great.











                                                I have a LOT of work to do on these flutes and hope to advance a bit more in 2017 with some songs and abilities to play in a Session in Portland soon. There are a few Irish/Scottish pubs in Portland that have music sessions for Celtic music, with performers from all over the region. Add in a few pints and it is like those I've visited in the UK, where families and musicians come together to celebrate their roots and heritage as well as imbibe a bit.Should be fun!

Till then, more practice and study of the literature and music of my ancestors and culture.

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Tone colors of Autumn: A concert of Japanese flute music-Review

                                       This last Friday, the 28th of October, 2016, Pacific Northwest shakuhachi lovers as well as those interested in Japanese music in general were treated to a rare concert at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. Many of us were thrilled quite a few months ago at the announcement of this event which would feature some of the world's best shakuhachi players and this night was to prove a delightful one indeed. Featured on this program were Matama Kazushi, Furuyu Teruo, Kakizakai Kaoru, Larry Tyrrell and Koto player, Mitsuki Dazai.

                                         
                                           On a beautiful autumn evening, surrounded by the stunning colours of the season, these superb musicians charmed and amazed us with their sounds and techniques. The concert started with " Tabibito no Uta" played by Kakizakai , followed by Matama's performance of

" Takiochi". 

The acoustics in this hall were excellent and did not disappoint the audience (close to 100) at all. After these two opening pieces, the stage was now ready for duets with Mitsuki Dazai on the Koto and Feruyu on the shakuhachi, playing Yumeji Modan #1 and #3. The koto and shakuhachi duet were to blend brilliantly in these pieces that simply do not get played nor heard enough outside of Japan. Fortunately, (this all too short series of concerts by these artists) we have the opportunity to hear these now and hopefully in the future again! The lighting in the hall was adequate for higher end cameras and if closer, I might have been able to snap better photos. But the music was my primary reason for sitting in the middle back part of the hall, so alas, these photos were taken from my phone. Pardon the blur and un-professional quality of them, but I'm glad to have been able to do it nonetheless. Below is a photo of the duets Yumeji Modan #1 and #3!



                                           Next on the program was a work by Rando Fukuda and played by the Pacific Northwest's own master, Larry Tyrrell. As amazing musician and shakuhachi player, Larry has also been a dedicated teacher in both the Seattle and Portland areas. I had the privilege of being his student for a time a few years back and learned much from him. This piece was played wonderfully and covered a wide range of tonal qualities!
                   

                                                           The piece " Makiri" by Katsuya Yokoyama was next on the program, this played by Matama Kazushi. Again, the tonal colours and range were amazing and further solidified within myself yet another reason I decided to learn and devote part of my life to this incredible flute.
                                                                    After the sounds from this grand piece settled inside of us, the time had approached for a World Premier piece, composed by Larry Tyrrell. This trio entitled "The Mountains Remain" was simply stunning in it's composition and proved to be satisfying in harmony and depth, making our consonance minded ears and hearts happy.

                                                                       Hopefully this composition will find it's way on to a CD or recording soon as the world deserves to hear it again and again! This photo is just after it's premier, with Larry Tyrrell on the right off stage, receiving accolades and thanks for this piece.

                                                                        After a brief intermission, the concert resumed with "Kikyou Gensou Kyoku", performed by Teruo Furuya . Then followed by one of my favourite honkyoku pieces, "San' An", played by Kaoru Kakizakai . Legend has it that komuso, or mendicant Zen Buddhist monks, would play this piece to pregnant women for the safe birth of their children. It is a very well known and wonderful piece of classic Japanese shakuhachi music and this perfomance certainly didn't disappoint. Kakizakai played it with such intensity and sheer poetry that your humble writer and player became gleefully and happily lost in it's tone and eloquence. The honkyoku pieces are my favourites , always will be, and "San'An" will be with us for a thousand more years.

                                                                        The last piece on the program was the trio "Wadatsumi no Iroko no Miya" by Rando Fukuda and arranged by Tomiko Kojiba. Again, an outstanding trio piece and one that was thought to be the feather in the cap of this concert. This was not the case as we were treated to yet another piece as an encore, this also composed by Larry Tyrrell. Based on "The Twice Married Daughter", this trio is entitled "Bretagne Variations", a North American premier and was yet another delight that didn't disappoint. What a way to round out the evening! We need more shakuhachi concerts like this!!

After the concert, I had the privilege of a brief conversation with these delightful artists and to thank them for their amazing contribution to the shakuhachi, Japanese music and the arts in general. Two years ago I had the fortune to attend the Seattle Matsuri and classes with both Larry Tyrrell and Kaoru Kakizakai as well, allowing me to examine and learn from the inner workings of these world class musicians. I hope to do this again sometime in the future.

The tour by the KSK Trio will continue this Wednesday,
 KSK Trio in Portland
and then continuing on to Colorado and California.
If you are able to attend one of these concerts, please do so in support of the artists and also The Japan Foundation.

Many thanks to the musicians and especially my sweetheart Dena who graciously put up with me this last weekend and my love of the shakuhachi and it's world. :-) <3

Breathe!!

                As shakuhachi players, or flute and woodwind players in general, we all know how important breathing is and the capacity involved. Sure, some flutes and instruments are easier when it comes to blowing, depending on the reed or method. A fipple style Native American flute or a whistle is a LOT easier to play, as one simply blows. But, that doesn't mean breathing is unimportant. It is just that one can concentrate on the sounds and music easier w/o worrying about an embouchere.

                 This is why I believe the shakuhachi and other instruments with a needed embouchere are so much more difficult. When I started to play Native American rim blown flutes back in 2010, it was quite the learning experience for me. It most definitely gave me a high appreciation of the artisty, dedication and hard work that is needed by players. And while I was able to learn the embouchere on all of my flutes and can attain it right away, that means nothing unless the music comes forth.

   So, this means I need to work on this MUCH more than I have. And that is where I want to focus my practice right now. Songs that I know, and there are only a few, can be used for this. but learning new material will take a back seat while I play Ro or Tsu for longer sessions and get my capacity worked up to longer than 30 seconds.

                      THAT...is what i will be devoting my practice to for the rest of the year!