May 04, 2008
Shakuhachi RO Camp with Michael Chikuzen Gould June 20 - 22, 20088
Shakuhachi Performances and EventsHi All, Here is an announcement for Michael Chikuzen Gould's Next Ro Camp. You can also see this in the website at chikuzenstudios.com
I am very happy and honored to be invited to participate again. I am still living off the fumes of the last camp!
From Michael:
I happy to report that we will be having our June Ro Camp June 20~22 at the home of Craig Ciola outside of Marion, Ohio again (check Camps and Retreats on the website at chikuzenstudios.com). Craig's place is a beautiful quiet country setting where we can play out in nature without bothering anyone (does shakuhachi really bother anyone?) and without us being disturbed by unwanted distractions. Craig has bamboo grooves, carp ponds, and I hear there's a newly built amphitheater of sorts! If this setting and playing shakuhachi for hours isn't enough, we also will be having Perry Yung join us again for Workshop Part 2 of Jinashi Shakuhachi Construction. It was a real treat to have Perry's guidance and energy last Nov. and we're glad he'll be able to join us again.
One of my goals is to provide educational opportunities at one camp a year that we cannot get without going abroad or at least traveling far. Although we did enjoy Perry's presence just last Nov., Perry and I both thought it would be more effective to have another workshop as soon as possible as a follow up. However, don't forget that the camp is a playing/studying shakuhachi camp and we will be playing until your lips are numb as usual!
The study format is as usual:
Two Groups: beginners & Intermediate/Advanced.
Some time will be spent in one large group studying together but we also split up into two groups according to levels.
Beginner's level:
1. Mt. Village at Dusk.
2. Pilgrimmage song "Goreika".
3. Etenraku: duet
4. various lullabyes and folk tunes
Intermediate/Advanced
1. Two main Honkyoku: Sany (Mt. Valley) & Soo Mukaiji:
2. One review song: Makiri.
3. One duet (review): Henro
4. One Fukuda Rando song:
Saturday night is duet night. Some of the duets will be:
1. Tohne no Funauta: Fukuda Rando composition.
2. Yabu no Sato: Miyata Kohachiro
3. Komori Uta
4.Shika no Tohne
Please register as soon as you can and indicate if you will need bamboo from Perry or not for the workshop. It is NOT mandatory that you join the shakuhachi construction workshop. I understand that there will be a few students who have little time to play daily and want to spend their time playing. That's very understandable. I will be teaching while Perry is instructing so you do have that option.
The cost of camp is as follows:
1. Including shakuhachi construction workshop: $300.
2. Not including shakuhachi workshop: $270.
*There will be an extra fee for the bamboo if you require a special piece of Root end bamboo -$80. Non root bamboo will be provided for no additional cost.
You may sleep indoors or outdoors at this camp (there are two extra bedrooms: first come first serve); or on the floor with mats and bags. Most people will sleep outdoors in tents. if you don't have one, I have a 10 man tent bigger than most apartments and ample mats and bags.
All participants help out in the kitchen for at least one meal. Maybe cooking isn't your thing so cutting and washing may be! Students living within driving distance will share the job of choosing a menu with another student. Participants coming from afar will add $30. to the registration fee for food, but still help in the kitchen.
Please send registration fee to Michael Gould in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Also, check out the website at chikuzenstudios.com to read more about camps and view the upcoming events on the calendar.
Michael Chikuzen Gould
2641 Idlewood Rd. 2F
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(313)600-2610
Jinashi Contruction Workshop Part Two:
Making and playing your own shakuhachi flute can prove to be an immensely gratifying life experience. Part two gets deeper. This workshop will cover how to bind the flute to prevent cracking, apply Tung Oil in the bore to prevent mold and introduce my Spot Tuning Method. This method is based on the idea of pressure points in the bore and how manipulating select resonance spots can enhance the response of the shakuhachi thus creating a more musical instrument. This method was developed on my own since 1995 and then furthered with a trip to Japan where I studied formally under Kinya Sogawa. For me, Spot Tuning a shakuhachi is akin to color mixing for the fine art painter. Once the artist understands the concepts of hue and value in paints (tone color and balance in sound for the musician), she or he will be able to make choices on how to shape and direct the work. Understanding spot tuning is the first step into the fine art of shakuhachi crafting.
Those of you who missed the previous camp but would like to make your own shakuhachi will still have the opportunity. We can work out the schedule with Michael so that interested parties can have a separate workshop in making a flute before the Part Two workshop.
Those with construction questions can feel free to inquire directly at perry@yungflutes.com
Having participated in Michael's camp last November, I can not stress how wonderful this opportunity is for anyone. The camp provides an invaluable community experience where inspiration is abound. I personally left the previous camp inspired and energized!
See you there, Perry
Posted by Perry Yung at 05:01 PM | Comments (0)
May 02, 2008
This week's Ebay Shakuhachi Repair
Hi all, This is an old Myoan style shakuhachi that was purchased on eBay. I repair a lot of these since there is a proliferation of sellers of shakuhachi from Japan these days.
Looks pretty good. Right?
In general, yes. But on inspection, it needs quite a bit of work. Didn't see this hair line crack on the auction photos.
Didn't see this damaged utaguchi in the photos.
The cracks at the front was also not shown on the photo.
Work has started.
It's begining to play well but needs adjusting at the top.
This flute was purchased for around $100. So far, $200 of repair labor has gone into it.
Please read the auctions clearly. And when they say look at the photos, look at the photos.
All the best, Perry
Posted by Perry Yung at 08:05 AM | Comments (0)
April 13, 2008
Shakuhachi Repair Video
Hi All, I do a lot of repairs or retuning on shakuhachi and I often make sound files to show the work done. This time, I thought I would make a video since that gives a better "picture" of how the flute works. Unfortunately, the trade off is that the sound is not great due to the camera mic.
This one is a 2.2 that had an utaguchi chip refilled,
joint tightened, cracks bound
and Ro made stronger.
It's a nice instrument with a new lease on life!
Namaste, Perry
Posted by Perry Yung at 08:16 AM | Comments (0)
March 28, 2008
2.0 Monk's Jinashi Style Shakuhachi
Here is an old 2.0 length Jinashi shakuhachi most likely made by a Komuso Monk over 100 years ago. It is not a loud performance flute or one made for study, but it certainly is full of Chikuin - bamboo spirit.
Press the play arrow on the bar below to play this video.
Old flutes like this have a rustic sound that brings to my mind a misty temple on the side of a mountain. These old flutes have all the usual bumps of a natural bore flute but they feel good in the hands. Well, in my hands at least.
Enjoy the old sound.
Namaste, Perry
Posted by Perry Yung at 10:33 AM | Comments (0)
Keeping it Real
There's a thread on the Shakuhachi Forum about practice time and what should what do when the marjority of your free time is suddenly removed by something like the arrival of a new born baby.
Well, having been there fairly recently (twice in the last five years) all I can say is, "Forget about practicing"!
My skill level of playing have pretty much froze in time from the moment my first was born. Lessons when from four a week in Japan to one ever few months these days, if I'm lucky. In my experience, every lesson requires around two additional hours of practice to absorb the material. Imagine how many hours a I was playing a day!
Nowadays, my practice time is based in "free improvisation" while playing with the kids. It's not focused but it's fun! Jet is playing a Hocchiku almost twice his height. His embouchure isn't quite right yet, he prefers to play it like a didgeridoo.
Namaste, Perry
Posted by Perry Yung at 06:48 AM | Comments (0)
