Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Hello Everybody,

There will be a shakuhachi event of wonderful proportions taking place in London this summer. I am pleased to be included as one of the instructors and I'm looking forward to working with the other teachers and of course the students. All European students are encouraged to attend. Hopefully international students (in this case means Americans, too) will take a good look at what's being offered and consider attending as well. It's worth the trip both as a shakuhachi event and because London is a beautiful town to visit. The festival is being organized by Kiku Day and Michael Coxall. Here is their announcement:

"Hello shakuhachi players everywhere on this earth, but especially in Europe.

It looks like it is the time of the year where shakuhachi camps are announced.
So, we are proud to announce that the very first pan-European shakuhachi summer school with koto and shamisen is taking place this summer in London, UK.

Place: SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London. Thornhaugh Street,
        Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG. UK

When: A Beginners' Course will be held a month prior to the Summer School twice a week for 4 weeks
        on Monday and Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm between 18th June and 22nd July,
        2006. Teachers will be Michael Coxall and Kiku Day.


       The 4 day intensive Summer School is taking place 19th - 22th July 2006. We are very happy to
       announce a very varied program, where the courses never-the-less continue throughout the 4
       days, so that the participants can follow the courses and actually learn pieces. We have lessons
       in honkyoku (Kinko-ryu, Dokyoku and Zensabo), sankyoku, shinkyoku, min'yo and shakuhachi
       in jazz and rock. We will furthermore have koto and shamisen lessons and they will come and
       join the sankyoku and shinkyoku groups.

       The shakuhachi teachers are: Clive Bell, Michael Coxall; Kiku Day; Jim Franklin; Gunnar (Jinmei)
       Linder; Okuda, Atsuya; Veronique Piron and Brian (Tairaku) Ritchie.
       The string teachers and players are: Arisawa, Shino; Iwamoto, Michiko; Nakagawa, Noriko;
       Okuda Kazuko (Masako) and Okuda, Satoshi (Utanoichi).


       We also have lunch time talks and workshops. So far we have:
       Philip Horan will play and talk to us about playing Irish music on shakuhachi. He will make the
       audience participate.
       Tilo Burdach is a student of the late Living National Treasure, Nichimura Koku. He will tell us
       about this charismatic teacher and play the music of the Meian style from Kyushu.
       Jim Franklin wil teach us about breathing techniques.
       We may also have:
       Gunnar (Jinmei) Linder talk to us about the history fo the shakuhachi.
       Vlastislav Matousek playing his own pieces on Fuke shakuhachi with his daughters singing.

Concerts: On the 19th July, we will have a open mic night where we will get to know each other. The
       next two nights are teachers' concerts, and the gala night on the 21st at the Summer School is
       reserved for the participants to perform the pieces they have learned.

Cost:
Beginners' Course:
      £100 (90 minute lessons twice a week for 4 weeks)
      £75 concession
      20% off Summer School fee if taking both the Beginners' Course and Summer School

Summer School (4 day intensive):
     £150 per person (includes all classes, talks and concerts)
     £110 concession

Koto and shamisen (afternoon classes):
     £60 per person (classes, talks and concerts)
     £45 concession

Unfortunately, we cannot announce our website quite yet, but many more details will be on there. We are waiting for SOAS to finish their music summer school website (where there will be classes in kora, darbuka, daf, Korean samulnori percussion, Mongolian overtone singing among lots of other exciting music) so we can synchronise our website with them.
BUT it is happening, and please note the dates! 19th -22th July for the Summer School and the 18th June - 22nd July on Mondays and Thursdays for the Beginners' Course. I am hoping we will be finished with both the websites by next week!

Hope to see as many as possible at the European Shakuhachi Summer School with Koto and Shamisen in London!

Take care,
The London Team,
Michael Coxall and Kiku Day"