Re: Shakuhachi Survey--please participate

From: Joseph Danza (jdanza@direct.ca)
Date: Wed Jan 29 2003 - 18:49:15 PST


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> QUESTIONNAIRE FOR SHAKUHACHI PLAYERS
>
> Please answer as many questions as you can. Feel free to skip any questions
> you do not feel comfortable answering. All information will be kept
> completely anonymous. If you have very little time to do this survey, you
> may keep your answers as brief as possible, otherwise please feel free to
> elaborate in more detail. Any and all information is welcome and will be
> helpful.
>
> A. General Background and Musical Background Questions:
>
> 1. What is your age? - 47
>
> 2. Are you male or female? - M
>
> 3. In what U.S. state or country do you live? - Canada
>
> 4. What is your ethnic background? - Spanish/Italian/Native
>
> 5. What is your education level? (high school; college graduate; advanced
> degrees) - 1 year university
>
> 6. What was your approximate income last year? 30.000
>
> 7. Do you have any religious affiliation that you feel strongly about?
> If yes, describe: buddhist/taoist
> Were you raised from childhood with this religious affiliation? no
> What is your family's religious orientation, if any? none
> Would you describe yourself as a Buddhist? a bad one
>
> 8. Do you play any other instruments besides shakuhachi? yes
> If yes, please list the instrument(s): other winds, strings and percussion
>
> 9. Did you have any musical experience prior to playing shakuhachi? yes
> If yes, please describe (lessons or training, participation in bands, etc.):

classical training, private and conservatory, lots of professional experience in
jazz, pop and contemporary music

>
>
> 10. Are you presently involved in any other musical activities outside of
> shakuhachi? yes
>
> 11. Do you have any knowledge of the Japanese language? If yes, please
> describe: a little
>
> B. Questions about shakuhachi playing and related practices:
>
> 12. What kind of shakuhachi flute(s) do you have? 1.4 1.8 2.0 2.1 2.4
>
> 13. Approximately how much have you spent on your instrument(s)? A few thousand
>
> 14. How did you first become interested in the shakuhachi? through the record
> "Muisc for Zen meditation"
>
> 15. What qualities of the music or the instrument appeals to you?. It's the most
> compeling call of the Spirit for it's original Home.
>
> 16. How long have you been active as a shakuhachi player? 20 years
>
> 17. Do you study shakuhachi with a teacher? [Teachers--see Section D below]
> On and off
> If No, what is your method for learning shakuhachi? Recordings? Books? Also...
> If Yes, who is your teacher? Workshops
> How long have you studied with your teacher?. Originally for a couple of years
> How often do you study with a teacher? Seldom
> What kind of repertoire do you study with your teacher? Honkyoku? Jiuta? Minyo?
> All of the above
>
> 18. Did you play shakuhachi before studying with a teacher? If yes, how long?. I
> started by finding a flute and a teacher.
>
> 19. Do you study with a teacher locally, with visiting teachers, or both?.
>
> 20. How often do you practice the shakuhachi? How many hours per week? Per
> month? It varies and goes in cycles, but at it;s peak I play about three hours
> a day.
>
> 21. Do you listen to recordings of shakuhachi music?
> If yes, how often?. Almost daily
>
> 22. Do you read books or articles about shakuhachi, Japanese music, or any
> philosophy you feel is related to the instrument? If yes, what kinds of
> books or articles?
> Yes
> 23. Have you ever participated in any special shakuhachi workshops? Yes
> If yes, how many have you attended? One
> Are workshops an effective and efficient way of learning shakuhachi?
> Very good for motivation and inspiration
> 24. Please rank the following activities in order of importance to you
> (1 = most important, 2 = important, 3 = least important, etc.):
> Individual practice 1
> Your own public performance or student recital 3
> Socializing with other shakuhachi enthusiasts 2
> Attending shakuhachi workshops 2
> Attending concerts of shakuhachi performers 2
> Listening to recordings of shakuhachi performers 2
>
> 25. How important is shakuhachi notation in your regular playing habits?
> Very Important/Important/Not very important
> Important
> 26. Have you ever visited Japan? Yes
> If no, are you planning to go in the near future?
> If yes, how many times? Once
> If yes, did you study shakuhachi in Japan? For how long? 3 years, specifically
> to study
>
> 27. Have you ever participated in any of the following activities? (If yes,
> please describe how often):
> Meditation practices? yes (a lot)
> Attended Buddhist lectures? yes (a lot)
> Martial arts? yes (three years)
> Tai Chi or Qi Gong? No
> Yoga? Yes (quite a bit)
> Are any of the above activities a result of your involvement with shakuhachi? No
>
> C. Your opinions about shakuhachi:
>
> 28. How significant an impact has playing the shakuhachi had on your life?
> Very Significant impact/Significant impact/Little impact/None
> Very significant
> 29. Have you made any changes in your personal/family life to accommodate
> your shakuhachi practice, learning or performance? No
> If yes, describe:
>
> 30. Do you feel that playing the shakuhachi helps you to learn about
> Buddhism or about Japanese culture?. No
>
> 31. In your opinion, is the shakuhachi an instrument of meditation?
> A musical instrument? Or is it both?. Both
>
> 32. Is playing the shakuhachi an act of meditation for you personally? If
> yes, can you briefly describe?. I try to live life as an extended meditation
>
> 33. Do you feel that playing shakuhachi is a method of spiritual
> fulfillment? If yes, can you briefly describe?. Yes, it's sound lends itself to
> expression of the highest kind, and naturally leads to awareness and expansion
> of breath, which is the core of meditation.
>
> 34. Has playing the shakuhachi helped you cope with any personal problems
> in your life? Yes
>
> 35. Do you feel that the shakuhachi has any healing powers or positive
> health effects?. Absolutely
>
> 36. Do you have any particular goals you would like to achieve by playing
> shakuhachi?. Get better and better at it and inspire others with it's sound.
>
> D. Questions for Teachers of shakuhachi:
>
> 37. Do you teach the shakuhachi as a part-time or full-time profession?
> Part time
> 38. Do you travel in order to teach the shakuhachi? If yes, how often?
> No
> 39. What kind or level of teaching certification do you have?
> Hate the "system" so I never pursued certification of any kind.
> 40. Please list your teacher(s): My main one was John Neptune.
>
> 41. Which school of shakuhachi are you associated with?
> None
> 42. What types of music for shakuhachi do you teach?
> What percentage of your teaching involves honkyoku?
> 20%
> 43. To what extent is your teaching style similar to, or different from,
> your own teacher? Please describe:
> Similar approach.
> 44. How do you measure student progress?
> I let them do it for themselves
> 45. Do you require your students to play recitals?
> No
> 46. To what extent do you verbalize about Buddhist or Japanese
> philosophical concepts in your teaching?
> Very little and only when requested
> 47. Have you taught at shakuhachi workshops? No
> In your opinion, how effective are workshops in learning the shakuhachi?
> They give new ideas and approaches. In order to truly benefit you must be fairly
> advanced and process information quickly
> 48. How important is the use of shakuhachi notation in teaching?
> Very Important/Important/Not very important
> Very important
> 49. How important is it for the student to precisely imitate the teacher's
> playing?
> Very Important/Important/Not very important
> Important at the beggining
> 50. How important is it for the student to use a tape recorder?
> Very Important/Important/Not very important
> Not very important
> 51. How important is it for the student to have a familiarity with Japanese
> language?
> Very Important/Important/Not very important
> Not very important
> 52. How important is it for the student to be familiar with Buddhism or
> Japanese philosophical concepts?
> Very Important/Important/Not very important
> Not very important
> 53. Do you teach techniques for using the shakuhachi as an instrument of
> meditation?
> Yes
> THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!
>
> ____________________________________________________
>

--

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pepe Danza www.pepe-music.com

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<blockquote TYPE=CITE>-------- <br>QUESTIONNAIRE FOR SHAKUHACHI PLAYERS <p>Please answer as many questions as you can. Feel free to skip any questions <br>you do not feel comfortable answering. All information will be kept <br>completely anonymous. If you have very little time to do this survey, you <br>may keep your answers as brief as possible, otherwise please feel free to <br>elaborate in more detail. Any and all information is welcome and will be <br>helpful. <p>A. General Background and Musical Background Questions: <p>1. What is your age?&nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; 47 <p>2. Are you male or female?&nbsp; -&nbsp; M <p>3. In what U.S. state or country do you live?&nbsp; -&nbsp; Canada <p>4. What is your ethnic background?&nbsp; -&nbsp; Spanish/Italian/Native <p>5. What is your education level? (high school; college graduate; advanced <br>degrees)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; 1 year university <p>6. What was your approximate income last year?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 30.000 <p>7. Do you have any religious affiliation that you feel strongly about? <br>If yes, describe:&nbsp; buddhist/taoist <br>Were you raised from childhood with this religious affiliation?&nbsp;&nbsp; no <br>What is your family's religious orientation, if any?&nbsp;&nbsp; none <br>Would you describe yourself as a Buddhist?&nbsp; a bad one <p>8. Do you play any other instruments besides shakuhachi?&nbsp; yes <br>If yes, please list the instrument(s): other winds, strings and percussion <p>9. Did you have any musical experience prior to playing shakuhachi?&nbsp; yes <br>If yes, please describe (lessons or training, participation in bands, etc.):</blockquote> classical training, private and conservatory, lots of professional experience in jazz, pop and contemporary music <blockquote TYPE=CITE>&nbsp; <p>10. Are you presently involved in any other musical activities outside of <br>shakuhachi?&nbsp; yes <p>11. Do you have any knowledge of the Japanese language? If yes, please <br>describe:&nbsp; a little <p>B. Questions about shakuhachi playing and related practices: <p>12. What kind of shakuhachi flute(s) do you have? 1.4&nbsp; 1.8&nbsp; 2.0&nbsp; 2.1&nbsp; 2.4 <p>13. Approximately how much have you spent on your instrument(s)? A few thousand <p>14. How did you first become interested in the shakuhachi? through the record "Muisc for Zen meditation" <p>15. What qualities of the music or the instrument appeals to you?. It's the most compeling call of the Spirit for it's original Home. <p>16. How long have you been active as a shakuhachi player?&nbsp; 20 years <p>17. Do you study shakuhachi with a teacher?&nbsp;&nbsp; [Teachers--see Section D below]&nbsp; On and off <br>If No, what is your method for learning shakuhachi? Recordings? Books? Also... <br>If Yes, who is your teacher?&nbsp; Workshops <br>How long have you studied with your teacher?. Originally for a couple of years <br>How often do you study with a teacher?&nbsp; Seldom <br>What kind of repertoire do you study with your teacher? Honkyoku? Jiuta? Minyo? All of the above <p>18. Did you play shakuhachi before studying with a teacher? If yes, how long?. I started by finding a flute and a teacher. <p>19. Do you study with a teacher locally, with visiting teachers, or both?. <p>20. How often do you practice the shakuhachi? How many hours per week? Per <br>month?&nbsp; It varies and goes in cycles, but at it;s peak I play about three hours a day. <p>21. Do you listen to recordings of shakuhachi music? <br>If yes, how often?. Almost daily <p>22. Do you read books or articles about shakuhachi, Japanese music, or any <br>philosophy you feel is related to the instrument? If yes, what kinds of <br>books or articles? <br>Yes <br>23. Have you ever participated in any special shakuhachi workshops? Yes <br>If yes, how many have you attended? One <br>Are workshops an effective and efficient way of learning shakuhachi? <br>Very good for motivation and inspiration <br>24. Please rank the following activities in order of importance to you <br>(1 = most important, 2 = important, 3 = least important, etc.): <br>Individual practice 1 <br>Your own public performance or student recital 3 <br>Socializing with other shakuhachi enthusiasts 2 <br>Attending shakuhachi workshops 2 <br>Attending concerts of shakuhachi performers 2 <br>Listening to recordings of shakuhachi performers 2 <p>25. How important is shakuhachi notation in your regular playing habits? <br>Very Important/Important/Not very important <br>Important <br>26. Have you ever visited Japan? Yes <br>If no, are you planning to go in the near future? <br>If yes, how many times? Once <br>If yes, did you study shakuhachi in Japan? For how long? 3 years, specifically to study <p>27. Have you ever participated in any of the following activities? (If yes, <br>please describe how often): <br>Meditation practices? yes (a lot) <br>Attended Buddhist lectures? yes (a lot) <br>Martial arts? yes (three years) <br>Tai Chi or Qi Gong? No <br>Yoga? Yes (quite a bit) <br>Are any of the above activities a result of your involvement with shakuhachi? No <p>C. Your opinions about shakuhachi: <p>28. How significant an impact has playing the shakuhachi had on your life? <br>Very Significant impact/Significant impact/Little impact/None <br>Very significant <br>29. Have you made any changes in your personal/family life to accommodate <br>your shakuhachi practice, learning or performance? No <br>If yes, describe: <p>30. Do you feel that playing the shakuhachi helps you to learn about <br>Buddhism or about Japanese culture?. No <p>31. In your opinion, is the shakuhachi an instrument of meditation? <br>A musical instrument? Or is it both?.&nbsp;&nbsp; Both <p>32. Is playing the shakuhachi an act of meditation for you personally? If <br>yes, can you briefly describe?. I try to live life as an extended meditation <p>33. Do you feel that playing shakuhachi is a method of spiritual <br>fulfillment? If yes, can you briefly describe?.&nbsp; Yes, it's sound lends itself to expression of the highest kind, and naturally leads to awareness and expansion of breath, which is the core of meditation. <p>34. Has playing the shakuhachi helped you cope with any personal problems <br>in your life?&nbsp; Yes <p>35. Do you feel that the shakuhachi has any healing powers or positive <br>health effects?. Absolutely <p>36. Do you have any particular goals you would like to achieve by playing <br>shakuhachi?.&nbsp; Get better and better at it and inspire others with it's sound. <p>D. Questions for Teachers of shakuhachi: <p>37. Do you teach the shakuhachi as a part-time or full-time profession? <br>Part time <br>38. Do you travel in order to teach the shakuhachi? If yes, how often? <br>No <br>39. What kind or level of teaching certification do you have? <br>Hate the "system" so I never pursued certification of any kind. <br>40. Please list your teacher(s): My main one was John Neptune. <p>41. Which school of shakuhachi are you associated with? <br>None <br>42. What types of music for shakuhachi do you teach? <br>What percentage of your teaching involves honkyoku? <br>20% <br>43. To what extent is your teaching style similar to, or different from, <br>your own teacher? Please describe: <br>Similar approach. <br>44. How do you measure student progress? <br>I let them do it for themselves <br>45. Do you require your students to play recitals? <br>No <br>46. To what extent do you verbalize about Buddhist or Japanese <br>philosophical concepts in your teaching? <br>Very little and only when requested <br>47. Have you taught at shakuhachi workshops?&nbsp;&nbsp; No <br>In your opinion, how effective are workshops in learning the shakuhachi? <br>They give new ideas and approaches. In order to truly benefit you must be fairly advanced and process information quickly <br>48. How important is the use of shakuhachi notation in teaching? <br>Very Important/Important/Not very important <br>Very important <br>49. How important is it for the student to precisely imitate the teacher's <br>playing? <br>Very Important/Important/Not very important <br>Important at the beggining <br>50. How important is it for the student to use a tape recorder? <br>Very Important/Important/Not very important <br>Not very important <br>51. How important is it for the student to have a familiarity with Japanese <br>language? <br>Very Important/Important/Not very important <br>Not very important <br>52. How important is it for the student to be familiar with Buddhism or <br>Japanese philosophical concepts? <br>Very Important/Important/Not very important <br>Not very important <br>53. Do you teach techniques for using the shakuhachi as an instrument of <br>meditation? <br>Yes <br>THANKS FOR YOUR HELP! <p>____________________________________________________

<p><br>-- <p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <br>Pepe Danza <br><a href="http://www.pepe-music.com/">www.pepe-music.com</a></html>

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