The International Shakuhachi Society

Sites & Events

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Arts at Tenri

Ki-Sui-An Shakuhachi Summer Camp West Chester, PA. [ Annual Event ]
Staff of 9 led by Kurahashi Yoshio Sensei and Ronnie Nyogetsu Reishin Seldin Private and group study sessions. Rustic, rural setting in Pennsylvania (30 Miles West of Philadelphia) Healthy organic home-cooked food, outdoor swimming pool, and the company of farm animals. Join in the fun and experience a rich and varied musical learning adventure Accommodations and meals are included in the registration package A full teaching schedule including a local public performance are part of the program.

Shakuhachi Summer Camp of the Rockies Colorado. [ Annual Event ]
Featuring one of the most impressive gatherings of shakuhachi teachers annually outside of Japan, this camp provides an intense learning environment that will facilitate dramatic progress in your shakuhachi ability and a deepened understanding of the instrument and its broad musical repertoire. http://www.shakucamp.com/

Business

Bamboo Music

Bamboo Supply for Shakuhachi Making
Are you interested in buying poles for making shakuhachi? If so, I'm very happy to provide you bamboo poles for making flutes; I own great bamboo resources, because my town is in Anji which is rich in Bamboo. For your information, we have offered 100 pcs of high quality bamboo poles to Chinese Musicians Association, and 50pcs to an Czech customer. So I'm confident to supply you high quality bamboo poles.

Note: The poles in my county (anji county zhejiang province China) owns the best quality bamboo poles for making shakuhachi. I can also provide you black and speckled bamboo poles for making flutes. If you need high quality bamboo poles to make shakuhachi, pls feel free to tell me.

James zhangjian720@hotmail.com Tel:86-013754235432

Bamboo-In Shakuhachi Retreat Centre
Bamboo-In, situated on the stunning sunshine coast of British Columbia in the picturesque outreaches of Pender Harbour is a place focussing on the practice of shakuhachi. Bamboo-In features a karesansui (dry rock garden), manicured garden, and shakuhachi meditation room. Just 10 minutes walk from the ocean on quiet country roads, Bamboo-In is ideal for growing and deepening shakuhachi practice and meditation. http://alcvin.ca/retreats/

Chords Canada - Traditional Japanese Musical Instruments
Chords Canada is the only stocking distributor outside Japan that specializes in traditional Japanese musical instruments and their accessories, and they ship globally to street addresses in most countries. Chords stocks a varied selection of products in their warehouse in Toronto, including instruments (koto, shamisen, shakuhachi, ryuteki, and others), sheet music, recordings, books, and more. Non-stock items are available by custom order, so if you don't see what you're looking for in their online catalogue, just email or phone them, tell them what you'd like, and they'll be happy to try to source it for you.

Haiku Bamboo Nursery
HAIKU BAMBOO NURSERY I grow 23 different kind of Species. Am bamboo grower, it's important to maintain/care the Bamboo Grove - develop high quality bamboo plants and bamboo poles. I Cure, Treated and Untreated for Crafts maker and Construction use.

Beside grow Bamboo plants, am Bamboo Craft maker and Shakuhachi maker. Carry high quality bamboo poles - Japanese Madake and Taiwan Madake for Shakuhachi. I Harvest Bamboo Poles (from my Nursery) every year to dry/cure/treated or untreated. I Hand pick, Root End Treated and Non Root End done either Treated or left untreaded.

Display in BAMBOO POLES WAREHOUSE 20 Tuttle Rd. Hendersonville, NC 28792. Open Monday-Friday 9-5. 1(828) 685-3053. Come in to inspect and pick your own poles.

OSHIMA BAMBOO SCHOOL have class "How to make Shakuhashi flute".

Ho Setsu Shakuhachi
Beautiful Bamboo Shakuhachi Flutes made by Jem Klein. Specializing in precision craftsmanship. Satisfaction guaranteed. http://www.hosetsu.com/

Hogaku Journal (Japanese)
A source for information about Japanese music. The web site also sells a large collection of CDs.

Japan Shakuhachi
A site listing several Japanese shakuhachi makers.

Mejiro
Mejiro Co., Ltd. is a store in Tokyo, Japan, devoted to the Japanese bamboo flute. They deal in Shakuhachi and Shinobue, selling both flutes for all levels of player and any and every kind of tool for making or repairing your own.

Tai Hei Shakuhachi (shakuhachi.com)
Monty Levenson's site is a total resource for Shakuhachi - the traditional Japanese bamboo flute. From here you can find quality instruments (beginner, student & professional models) along with complete information on the subject including: playing guides, flute craft manuals, books, sheet music, recordings, teachers, schools, organizations, ethnic bamboo flutes around the world and much more.

Yung Flutes
Perry Yung is a multi-talented artist, craftsman, and performer. In 2002, he was the first American to receive a Japan-US Friendship Grant to specifically study shakuhachi making in Japan. When Perry is not making or playing shakuhachi, he creates and performs contemporary theater with the SLANT Performance Group, and designs sets for Maura Nguyen Donohue and In Mixed Company.

Information

Categorized Shakuhachi links by Dan Gutwein

Kyo-Shin-An Arts
*SEE OUR CALENDAR PAGE FOR A LIST OF CONCERT EVENTS*

Kyo-Shin-An Arts is dedicated to the integration of Japanese classical instruments—specifically shakuhachi, koto and shamisen—in Western classical music. Kyo-Shin-An Arts is facilitating, commissioning and producing new works and concerts that bring forth the outstanding virtuosity of the Japanese tradition within the context of chamber ensembles and orchestras. Uniquely positioned at the intersection of Western and Japanese classical music, Kyo-Shin-An Arts’ projects capture the energy sparked by cross-cultural collaborations between two highly structured, formal disciplines in a contemporary context.

Japanese and Western classical music traditions share a great many things; adherence to structure, long histories of musical evolution, and a significant range of distinct periods and styles as well as music of breathtaking beauty. The training in both disciplines is rigorous and high standards prevail for both performance and composition. Despite obvious differences in form and sonority, these traditions also display many similarities and can be remarkably compatible.

In the past there have been notable occasions in which these unique forms have been merged, but now the time has come to truly establish a musical legacy that incorporates both cultures.

In the 1940s, the American composer Henry Cowell was possibly the first Westerner to study Japanese music and write compositions that featured Japanese instruments. The well-known composer Toru Takemitsu began to explore this creative direction in the early 1960s, when his colleague and friend John Cage inspired him to discover his own Japanese classical tradition. His concerto for biwa and shakuhachi, November Steps, was premiered by the New York Philharmonic in 1967, under the direction of Seiji Ozawa. He wrote a second concerto for the same instrumentation in 1973. At the time there were few artists capable of playing the work and thus performance opportunities were limited.

Over 35 years have passed since then, and today, a significant number of performers of Japanese traditional instruments around the world excel in both the Japanese and Western classical traditions and are fluent in both styles of musical notation. Many of these artists (who can be found living in the United States, Japan, Europe, and Australia) share the virtuosity of the best performers in the Western tradition. There is also a critical mass of interest in bringing these two sophisticated traditions together in concert. A significant number of contemporary composers – both Japanese and Western – have already ventured in this direction. The Kyo-Shin-An Arts project however, is the first formal, high-profile program in this arena.

To accomplish its goals, Kyo-Shin-An Arts is working internationally with great composers, virtuosos from the Japanese tradition, and top Western ensembles to create artistic partnerships and perform the new repertoire. The commissions may include chamber or orchestral works, concertos, tone poems or song cycles. Kyo-Shin-An Arts will commission the music and assist with guest artists’ fees, travel and related expenses, as well as program administration. Performing partners will include the works as part of their regular season.

Myoan Shakuhachi Blog
I believe that the ideal way of Zen Shakuhachi is to let one's true Mind listen to the sounds and to cultivate one's own Self in accordance with those sounds. - Yoshimura Fuan-Soshin

Shakuhachi Beat
If Jinbo Masanosuke, Kurosawa Kinko and Riley Lee ran into Franz Kafka, Marcel Duchamp and Moe Howard they may have created the blog Shakuhachi Beat ... Then again, maybe not ... Tune in, turn on and read for yourself on the World Wide Web at http://shakuhachibeat.blogspot.com

Shakuhachi Playing Tips by Kaoru Kakizakai
An on-going project by translator Zachary Braverman to translate all three years' worth Kakizakai's Shakuhachi Tips. Zachary's hope is that the translations may be helpful to players (especially beginners) in their efforts to master this challenging instrument.

Welcome to the Shakuhachi World
Great resource for shakuhachi lovers. This site has digitized 78rpm recordings of famous shakuhachi players and songs from various schools - Tozan, Kinko, Meian, Ueda, Chikuho, and more. Mostly Japanese on the actual recordings list pages, but since many of the names are also translated into English within the listings, it's not too difficult to navigate.

Organization

Association for International Exchange of Japanese Music

Bay Area Shakuhachi School
The Bay Area Shakuhachi School offers private and group lessons in West Oakland, California. Studies focus on traditional and modern music in both solo and ensemble settings. The school is lead by Phil Gelb.

Bruce Jones' Shakuhachi Mailing List Archive
A great source for information and current events.

Chikumeisha
The Chikumeisha was established as a body of professional shakuhachi performers in 1921, centered around Shiro Yamaguchi. When he passed away in November 1963, his son Goro Yamaguchi continued in his father's footsteps and further developed the tradition. Regretfully, Goro Yamaguchi passed away on January 3, 1999, due to illness, but his disciples who had been studying his art have continued the Chikumeisha guild since. By means of their various activities they are trying to stay in touch with those who want to learn about and study the wonderful art forms our teachers transmitted. They would happy to hear from anybody who is interested.

Chikuyusha
A Kinko school founded in 1894 by KAWASE Junsuke I. Published music for the first time in the modern "Futoten" style in 1903.

European Shakuhachi Society
Membership of the ESS is open both to players of the shakuhachi and to non-players who are interested in the music of the shakuhachi in all its forms.   Since the ESS is not affiliated with a particular school or aesthetic direction, its members represent a broad cross-section of styles and genres of shakuhachi.  Supporting ESS through joining is a means of helping maintain a coordinating resource of the shakuhachi in Europe.   The benefits of membership include access to information about shakuhachi events and tuition throughout Europe and beyond, as well as discounted participation fees at events such as the European Shakuhachi Summer Schools.  

Become a member and learn about upcoming events on the European Shakuhachi Society website at ESS

Join the ESS Shakuhachi Forum

Visit our mailing group

Join our Facebook group.

International Shakuhachi Kenshukan (Japanese)
Established and run by Yokoyama Katsuya and his students.

Japanese Music Institute of America
The Japanese Music Institute of America (JMI) was founded as a nonprofit educational organization in 1981 by present day director and president, Masayuki Koga. JMI has a clear goal and an enthusiastic approach based on a belief that there are many people who love music, yet do not know how to play well, or how to enjoy practice. There is a satisfactory answer for them: a method to help them experience the happiness of playing music.

Koto no Koto
The best koto site I've found. Educational information about the koto with detailed information about performers recordings and books.

Kyo Shin An Shakuhachi Dojo
James Nyoraku Schlefer holds two Shi-Han (Master) certificates, and one Dai-Shi-Han (Grand Master) certificate, and is well respected as a teacher in both the U.S. and Japan. He has been passing on shakuhachi tradition for nearly twenty years and devotes many hours each week to teaching. Nyoraku Sensei’s dojo is in Park Slope, Brooklyn, near Prospect Park, where he often teaches lessons when the weather is nice. Students at all levels, from beginners to professional musicians, are welcome to come to the dojo, which offers weekly lessons; workshops and master classes with prominent teachers; and student recitals. Instruments are available and sheet music is provided. Lessons are only taught in person, and one-on-one.

Students learn in the Japanese style, facing the teacher and first singing then playing the music together. Historically, traditional music was taught entirely by rote, with the student copying everything the teacher played by ear. At Kyo-Shin-An, the spirit of this method is maintained but with contemporary modifications, such as using notation, and with comments and suggestions to improve playing.

In the course of study, students learn to play 41 pieces of honkyoku (Zen Buddhist traditional music), 45 sankyoku pieces (chamber music played with koto and shamisen), and numerous folk songs. Upon completing this curriculum, a licensing course (which involves playing the music upside down and “teaching” it to the teacher), and a public performance, students will earn a Jun-Shi-Han Associate certificate and receive a Japanese name.

Nyoraku Sensei is a Grand Master of the Jin Nyodo lineage, having learned from Kurahashi Yoshio, Mitsuhashi Kifu, Ronnie Nyogetsu Seldin, and Keisuke Zenyoji, all of whose teachers learned from Jin Nyodo. Jin Sensei’s honkyoku repertoire draws from several traditional lines; Kinko-ryu, Kinpu ryu, and Fuke Meian.

Shakuhachi study is challenging. It is at once humbling and inspiring. The rigor of shakuhachi practice is matched only by the satisfaction of being with a great sound.

San Francisco Bay Shakuhachi Mailing List
Discussing Japanese music events and issues as they relate to the San Francisco area.

Seattle Shakuhachi Society
The Seattle Shakuhachi Society is primarily a way for people who live in and near Seattle to find out about local shakuhachi-related events such as concerts, visiting teachers, workshops, and so on. Most of their members play the shakuhachi at least a little bit, but that's not a requirement. They also maintain a mailing list.

Shakuhachi Roots - Bamboo Harvesting Trip and Pilgrimage to Japan
Alcvin Ramos places importance not only on playing shakuhachi, but also on experiencing the beauties of Japanese culture first hand within Japan herself; and most importantly making one's own, individual jinashi Shakuhachi. Every other year in late autumn, Alcvin arranges a trip to Japan pilgrimaging to sacred sites, studying with master teachers, and harvesting bamboo. Participants spend two or more days harvesting amongst the fresh air and beauty of Japan's mountainous countryside. During the field trip, members are trained how to select, harvest, and dry bamboo for making their own shakuhachi. Other activities on the trip include visiting Kyoto Meianji, Koukokuji in Wakayama and other sacred shakuhachi places of Japan.

Shin Tozan Ryu Shakuhachi (Japanese)
Shin Tozan Ryu Shakuhachi

Tozan Ryu (Japanese)
Home page for Japan's most popular school of shakuhachi music.

Ueda Ryu (Japanese)
The Ueda Ryū was founded in Kansai by Tozan player Ueda Hōdō and his brother Chikudo after Hōdō was expelled from the Tozan school in 1917 for playing his own compositions at Tozan recitals. Ueda Hōdō had previously succeeded Nakao Tozan in 1971 as the head of a Tozan study group (kai) within Myōan-ha called Kyochiku-zenji Hōsan Kai (1951).

Christopher Yohmei Blasdel