World Shakuhachi Discussion / Go to Live Shakuhachi Chat
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I’ve been remised with introductions. I’m eric from Atlanta. While I’m very new to shakuhachi, I’ve been practicing other Japanese arts for several years. I married my Aikido instructor years ago and we now have a two year-old son who is growing up looking askance at his father who continues to wrestle with a piece of bamboo.
When I was younger I was a great highland bagpiper. Months ago I contacted Monty Levenson and asked him to send me a Student Shakuhachi. After playing the bagpipes with their three drones, four reeds, blowpipe, bag, and chanter, how hard could a single piece of bamboo be? While bagpiping appears to be the unhappy marriage between a plumper and a watch maker, the shakuhachi is just as difficult and some of the fingering is actually the same.
Anyway, best of luck to all.
eric
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Hi Eric,
I'm originally from Atlanta though I haven't lived there now for 19 years. I practice aikido here in Kochi, Japan, as well as shakuhachi. I went to GSU and to Emory University and every couple of years make a visit back to Atlanta. Last spring I helped out a musicologist at Emory who writing an article on Yokoyama Katsuya's shakuhachi solo in Takemitsu Toru's piece November Steps so I spent a few days over in the Emory area. I'd be interested to find a good aikido dojo if I ever make it back to Atlanta; maybe we could do some kind of exchange: shakuhachi lesson for introduction to aikido dojo? A couple of years ago I met a Scottish bagpiper piping away along the Kamo river in Kyoto; he was a historian and had taken part in many bagpiping competitions. I used to know a guy named Rusty Smith, I think it was, who was in a bagpipers group in Atlanta but that was 25 years ago.... Good luck with your shakuhachi practice. Cheers, Dan Ryudo
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Hi Eric,
I hardly expected to see someone else here in the ATL! I have been living here for a little over 6 years, and thought that I was the only one in the south who had even heard of a shakuhachi.
I have been 'playing' shakuhachi for more than ten years, I studied under David Duncavage, who studied under Yoshio Kurahashi and Ronnie Seldin, when I lived in Massachusetts. I would hardly consider myself a novice, especially after more than 6 years without a teacher/lessons. I am sure that if I were to get serious about practicing again, then I would likely remember much of what I was taught.
I would be interested in meeting a fellow enthusiast, maybe sit down and play some bad music together. I have also considered taking up Aikido, though working full time and going to college full time leaves pitifully little time for anything.
Drop me an email if you are still in the area, playing, ........
Damon
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