Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Daniel Ryudo wrote:

Hello everyone,

1.  What kind of traditional pieces are you learning?  (please specify whether honkyoku, gaikyoku, minyo, early twentieth century -- such as Miyagi Michiyo's Haru No Umi, Fukuda Rando's pieces etc., or some combination of the above )

My primary interest is with honkyoku, though have practiced several folk tunes early on. My main focus has been Kyorei (since my first lesson), though I am now trying to re-learn Mukai-ji, and Sashi.

2.  How long have you been learning or playing traditional Japanese music (of any kind)?

I first began studying around 1992-3 with David Duncavage (student of Yoshio Kurahashi and Ronnie Seldin), I studied for nearly a year before he moved out of Massachusetts. Several years passed before I reconnected with David after he moved back to Massachusetts. I then studied another 6 months to a year at which time I moved to Georgia (2000). Since this time I have not had any lessons and little practice. I have just recently taken up practicing again, without a teacher this is very difficult.

3.  How are you learning the pieces?
(Please use the following categories; or if you have suggestions for additional ones please tell me)

_____A.  regular private lessons with a shakuhachi teacher.  (if possible, specify how often -- once a week, twice a month etc.)

_____B.  an occasional lesson with a shakuhachi teacher supplemented by a lot of self study.

_____C.  with assistance from other shakuhachi players

_____D.  attending shakuhachi workshops or festivals 

_____E.  distance learning with a teacher by mail, through tapes etc.

_____F.  distance learning with a teacher over the Internet.

_____G.  largely on my own through books, scores recordings ordered from shakuhachi websites selling the above, such as Monty's Tai Hei, shakuhachi shop Mejiro etc.

_____H.  largely on my own from scores and recordings downloaded from Internet sites.

_____I.  a combination of G and H.

___X__J. on my own attempting to remember lessons from 6-10 years ago, using sheet music collected from my teacher at the time.

If you are learning from a combination of these ways, try to give a rough percentage figure for each if possible.  Thank you very much for your help.  Happy Blowing!

Daniel, I hope this information is helpful to you. If you have any other questions, I would be very happy to answer them for you.
Damon

Hello,

1.  What kind of traditional pieces are you learning?  (please specify whether honkyoku, gaikyoku, minyo, early twentieth century -- such as Miyagi Michiyo's Haru No Umi, Fukuda Rando's pieces etc., or some combination of the above )

Right now I'm learning mostly honkyoku.  On my own I have also been learning some contemporary pieces and I have have studied many minyo pieces in the past.

2.  How long have you been learning or playing traditional Japanese music (of any kind)?

Well I guess two years or so, but with a teacher about 6 months or so.

3.  How are you learning the pieces?
(Please use the following categories; or if you have suggestions for additional ones please tell me)

__X__A.  regular private lessons with a shakuhachi teacher.  (if possible, specify how often -- once a week, twice a month etc.)

In the first part of my shakuhachi playing the first year and a half I just played on and off on my own.  I didn't get very far that way.  I had studied with Larry Tyrrell once every to weeks learning minyo for about 3 months.  Now I'm taking lessons with James Hunter every week learning some honkyoku.  I have been studying with him for around 3 months too.  I'm leaving for Japan in three weeks to study with Yoshio Kurahashi for awhile.  Then after that I'll see, hopefully I can stay on with the same teacher for awhile.
       
                                                                                                                Chris Bogert

Thanks very much, Damon, Chris, and Evan, for your information.  In addition to learning from DVDs and Internet, I think that in the West we have this new phenomenon of the traveling shakuhachi master, people like Kurahashi sensei, who visit various countries and cities and give lessons and workshops, maybe somewhat similar to the wandering komuso but covering much more territory.

Last edited by Daniel Ryudo (2006-08-31 00:20:30)

good for you man.
I am planing to go in Japan after a year..

G

Daniel,

I started with simple Minyo tunes (Koga's book).  I'm presently working on Rokudan to play with Koto and other shakuhachi at a Feb new year celebration and gathering of players. I'm excited but nervous.  My first honkyoku piece will be shortly forthcomming i hope. 

I started playing in Feb of 2005 on my own from Koga's book and CD. Soon after i located a teacher nearby.

I played on my own for about 3 months.  Then I was very fortunate to find a teacher only 20 minutes from my home.  I see her pretty much on a weekly basis for an hour at a time.  She studied with Nakajima Seizan. The quality and progress of my playing was definately improved after seeing a teacher.  I consider myself very,very fortunate to have one so close by.

Ken

Thanks Edosan,

I checked that out, its on Monty's catalogue.

BTW, I like the quote at the bottom of your mail... I'm afraid I'll have to steal it like a good little sheep!

Regards,

Harry.

Ken,

Thanks for your information.  Good luck and gambatte with the New Year celebration with koto and with your first honkyoku piece.  I just happened to be teaching the first three sections of Rokudan to a shakuhachi student earlier this afternoon.  Last month I played played Rokudan in a concert where two of the shakuhachi players played the usual shakuhachi part while two others played a kaede version; the trick is not to be distracted by the players playing that other part.  I'll be playing along with a koto group for their yearly recital next weekend, a gaikyoku piece called Matsu No Kotobuki, and then next month have Cha No Yuu Ondo at another recital, also in honte and kaede parts.

Daniel,

Here ya go. Good luck on getting published. I just mentioned it to my girlfriend Julia, who is in an Ethnomusicology class now.

1.  What kind of traditional pieces are you learning?  (please specify whether honkyoku, gaikyoku, minyo, early twentieth century -- such as Miyagi Michiyo's Haru No Umi, Fukuda Rando's pieces etc., or some combination of the above )

-  I'm mostly interested in Honkyoku, as far as traditional pieces go.

2.  How long have you been learning or playing traditional Japanese music (of any kind)?

-  Roughly 3 years now, although I had been familiar with various pieces over the years.

3.  How are you learning the pieces?
(Please use the following categories; or if you have suggestions for additional ones please tell me)

G & H.

I'm hoping that I can at least get a few lessons in this year, as I feel as though I'm fading from the flute right now. I think some lessons would help energize me. I just have to get the money together.

Hope that all helps.

-Eddie

Hi Daniel.  Here are my responses.

1. Honkyoku.
2. Just over 2 years.
3. "A" (private lessons: averaging bi-weekly, aiming for weekly), and "D" (workshops: once or twice a year).

Good luck on your study and publishing it!  It will be interesting to plot the landscape of students.

-Darren.

I must constantly use my tsuyutoshi to dry the moisture behind my ears.

1.  Minyo, the Japanese flag raising song,  Danny Boy and five dans of Rokudan so far but then it gets going so fast and my fingers don't know where to go and my ear/mind shorts out.  Next week  sensie promised we get to start on Haru no Umi.

2.  I have been studying with sensei James Hunter in Spokane for 8 months.  I feel fortunate to have such a good teacher here in this barbarian land where even the word " Buddha" is rarely heard in public places.

3.  I attend weekly group lessons with 5 other beginning students.  After we drink homemade wine and play our shakuhachi's like old crazy japanese jug band ensemble from an isolated beach village located somewheres in the early 10th century.  Sometimes I try to figure out passages from shakuhachi CD's.  Sometimes I blow bird song to the pygmy nuthaches that come to see what all the commotion is about.  Sometimes I drink too much fine oolong and get to feeling all powerful and blow hot fat prayers to Coltrane then fall in bed and listen to the wind play ancient sad melody through the pine.

Oh, Dan, that sounds awesome. I love elevator acoustics. That's one reason I've always wanted a good-sounding portable recorder that I can just whip out and work with. There's an old Resevoir north of me that has a natural 45-second reverb, but good luck trying to get any real equipment down there. It's underground, and scary, but several friends of mine have made recordings there, and they're always amazing. I simply MUST take a shakuhachi down there sometime. Sometime this year I'll buy a Tablet PC and one of those USB mics. That way, I have a handy light to work with.

Barefootboy... do you live in Spokane proper? I'm sorry.   Where did you ever find these other shakuhachi players in that god-forsaken land? If you're ever near Seattle, let's meet up and play over at St. Mark's Catherdral. Wowee.

-W

Hi Daniel.
B and I suppose H for me.
Been playing 8 months (somewhat obsesively). Managed 3 lessons which have helped a great deal - the only Honkyoku I play are the 2 I've had lessons on HiFuMeCho and HonShirabe (or wouldn't even have a clue how to read the scores!) - But I also practise just blowing alot and use computer stuff for self checking (Shaku8 autotuner is great and I use audacity to record and review what I've done with ears & eyes).
Maybe immersion listening to Mp3 player at work also helps get the "feel" lodged into me.
Cheers Ambi