Videos from 29 September 2012 Phoenix AZ Shakuhachi Friends Concert.

29 September 2012 Phoenix AZ Shakuhachi Friends Concert.

Kaoru Kakizakai playing Sanya at 

Kaoru Kakizakai playing Sagariha 

Kaoru Kakizakai playing Shingetsu (Heart Moon)

Kaoru Kakizakai playing Gekkou Routeki

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Kaoru Kakizakai Performs Amazing Shakuhachi Concert!

KAORU KAKIZAKAI GAVE A SHAKUHACHI CONCERT  ON 29 SEPTEMBER 2012. IT WAS ORGANIZED BY THE  PHOENIX AZ SHAKUHACHI FRIENDS AND HELD IN CHANDLER.

  Beyond the amazing music, I really enjoyed seeing the faces of the audience. I had set up my video camera and was seated off to the side. From my position, it was easy to see the audience's faces. We had a large number of people who'd never heard the shakuhachi before. There was also about half-dozen shakuhachi players in the crowd. The faces went from almost jaw dropping awe and steady fixed gazes to those that had a child-like  glow to their face.
We had a nice turnout and after the concert, Kakizakai hung out and answered questions.


Kakizakai did get to be a tourist while he was here in the Phoenix area. Barbara showed him around and he even met some of the locals.
If you like the sound of the shakuhachi or are just interested in it please check out our web site http://phoenixazshakuhachi.com/ for more information. We have monthly gatherings where everyone is welcome even if you've never seen a shakuhachi, come on out.

Taiko Experience 2012 with Fushicho Daiko Dojo at Japanese Friendship Garden, Phoenix AZ.

I just saw that the Japanese Friendship Garden (in Phoenix AZ) on March 24, 2012 has an event "Taiko Experience 2012" with Fushicho Daiko Dojo (including the opportunity to learn taiko with special ticket purchase).
You can check out their web site at http://www.japanesefriendshipgarden.org

Videos from 2012 Phoenix Matsuri Festival.

Kokin Gumi & Friends (Jim Thompson on Shakuhachi) performing at the 2012 Phoenix Matsui festival. Our group met up there to here the performance. Also the Matsuri festival is very cool stuff overall.

Don't forget to check out our web site at http://phoenixazshakuhachi.com/ .

 

Had our February shakuhachi gathering, playing, instruction and party.

We had our February 4th Shakuhachi Gathering at my home in stead of our normal Scottsdale location. We basically had our normal agenda of mentoring and instruction but then we also had a party.

I live up in Cave Creek with an amazing few of mountains from our front porch. The space we used for the instruction was big enough for us to play flute without any issues. The room has great acoustics.  Steve and Howard, two new members to our group joined us. We had 6 players attend our gathering and it felt like everyone had a great time.

We also had some time for those who wanted to show off a bit and play for each other. Howard who normally plays the native American flute did a few songs for us.

My wife Bina made us some food for our party. Yummy stuff!

Go see Kokin Gumi & Friends at the 2012 Japanese Matsuri Festival

The The 28th Annual Matsuri Festival of Japan is on February 25-26. Featuring exhibits, demonstrations, arts and crafts, children's activities, bonsai displays, Japanese food, and 3 stages of live entertainment.

One of the performances if by a group called Kokin Gumi & Friends. Music with Traditional Japanese Instruments including Shakuhachi. Their performance is at 3:30 on the Plaza stage, lets all meet up there and see their performance.

There is so much more to see and do all day. check our there web site at http://azmatsuri.org.... Also it's FREE! You can also check out Mark Zemnick's site for photos from last year. http://markzemnick.co... . Again so much cool stuff to see. I'll be there most of the day and hope to see you at the Kokin Gumi performance.

Our Next Meeting Saturday 4 February!

Our next meeting that will be on Saturday the 4th of February should be a lot of fun!

Reminder, we'll be having it at my home not at the SNAP location. Also after we get done with out flute playing and instruction we'll be having our first group party.  So even if you can't make the 10:00 AM start of the instruction please come to the party at noon.

Since it will be a party, music is always welcome. If you've got an instrument you enjoy playing, any instrument at all, bring it along and lets have some fun. Maybe we can try some improvisation between the shakuhachi and other instruments.

Two weekends ago I went to Boyce Thompson Arboritium for a class to make a didgeridoo. It came out realy well and others are welcome to try it out.

Hope to see a lot of you there and of course bring a guest if you'd like. The more the merrier.

Bamboo Dreams Concert and Workshop Photos

David Wheeler gave us an amazing workshop and concert. I’ll talk about it more in my next post but for now, here’s a few photos from the events.
Instruction at our all day shakuhachi workshop. David working with Barbara and Mike.
 
About Ready to start the concert



Wayne from our Meetup group got this wonderful photo!

Also check out our web site: http://phoenixazshakuhachi.com/

David Wheeler and Satsuki Odamura - Haru no umi (Spring Sea)

David Wheeler and Satsuki Odamura - Haru no umi (Spring Sea)

Composed by Miyagi Michio (b. 1894 - d. 1956), a blind koto teacher in the Ikuta school. The 1929 duet for shakuhachi and koto, Haru no umi (Spring Sea), has proven Baroque-like in its performance practice, for it is often heard played by the violin, with koto or piano accompaniment. Its style equals the French composer Claude Debussy in his most oriental moments

Riley Lee performance in honor of Kim Walker, the Dean of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

A recent performance by Riley Lee which was in honor of Kim Walker, the Dean of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. The song is Azuma Jishi.
Plus a performance of some bassoons.

Shakuhachi Workshop

The Phoenix AZ Shakuhachi Friends has the great honor of Internationally recognized shakuhachi master and scholar David Wheeler (Kansuke II) providing an all day Shakuhachi workshop.

David will present a basics workshop for everyone, a couple of level-specific mini-classes, and even private lessons.

Saturday December 10th at 7:00 PM at the Scottsdale Neighborhood Arts Place
4425 North Granite Reef Road
Scottsdale, Arizona 85251

Specific start and finish times will be posted shortly. If you’d like to attend please let me know so I can insure we’ve got handouts for you.

Bamboo Dreams An Evening with the Shakuhachi Japan's Bamboo Flute Transcends Time and Space

> The Shakuhachi is Japan's traditional vertical bamboo flute with five finger holes. It is an ancient instrument, yet due to its versatility, it has a uniquely contemporary appeal with a broad-ranging repertoire that transcends the constricts of time and space.

> Internationally recognized shakuhachi master and scholar David Wheeler (Kansuke II) will be presenting a concert of solo pieces, introducing and performing works of secular and spiritual music spanning 400 years from the classics of the 18th and 19th centuries to modern works of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Saturday December 10th at 7:00 PM at the Scottsdale Neighborhood Arts Place
4425 North Granite Reef Road
Scottsdale, Arizona 85251
Sponsored By the Phoenix AZ Shakuhachi Friends http://phoenixazshakuhachi.blogspot.com/

Choshi

My first public recording. This is a piece called Choshi it's one of the original meditative pieces also known as Honkyoko. I’m playing this on a 1.8 Japanese shakuhachi flute.
Choshi Honkyoku by chuckpeck56

Alcvin Ryuzen Ramos Tsuru no Sugomoris at Phil Gelb's dinner series

One of Alcvin Ryuzen Ramos’s Tsuru no Sugomoris at Phil Gelb's dinner series, April 16, 2011

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