Fix a Brog
Kinko-Ryu Shakuhachi Honkyoku
Cupboards are bare, so I’m posting a chapter from my dad’s thesis on Kinko-ryu shakuhachi honkyoku. Enjoy!
On Teaching
The truth is, in traditional music, transmission is the most important aspect for someone like me. As much as I enjoy playing concerts, and as important as performing is to me, those moments are fleeting; handing down the history and technique gives my ancestors the chance to live on through anyone who chooses to adopt those styles and techniques.
Restoration
“The old scores are hard to come by, and aren’t particularly cheap. I’m also partial to my own, especially the ones with my father’s marks in them. I’ve spent a good portion of the last year scanning in my scores and trying to clean them up so I can read them and thus teach them to others.”
Notes on Notes
East Meets West in the Battle for Musical Notation Supremacy! Just kidding. I just suck at reading staff notation.
“We’re Talking About Practice…”
My dad would say…at best, you’ll be 80% of your actual ability, so practice with that in mind. Some small bit of uncertainty will balloon into a chasm of despair on stage.
What’s in a Name
“Professional names are deeply entrenched in the Japanese arts—stick around long enough and they can really start to stack up.”
Fish Nor Fowl
…most of all, I found that when I play shakuhachi, I didn’t question my own authenticity. My father and I haven’t played together in over a decade, but he continues to inspire me to keep improving; to grow and refine as a player and teacher.
Smash that Bell (of Enlightenment)!
I’ve read essays here and there asking, what can be done to preserve the shakuhachi? I don’t think the shakuhachi is going anywhere, frankly…But what about the tradition of shakuhachi? That’s a bit shakier ground.
Get Off My Lawn.
Welcome to my brog! A collection of essays and memories from a lifetime—several of them, actually—playing shakuhachi, published every Saturday. よろしくお願いいたします!