[Shaku] Shakuhachi on the Sunshine Coast of BC

From: Alcvin Ramos (ramos@dccnet.com)
Date: Thu Apr 22 2004 - 21:33:19 PDT


--Apple-Mail-28--839099136
        charset=US-ASCII;
        format=flowed

Hello!

I hope everyone is doing well with the fine weather we've been having
(this is coming from BC, Canada). I apologize in advance if you
received this mail more than once. My wife, Sandra and I just moved to
the beautiful Sunshine Coast of British Columbia and we're very much
enjoying our new home. On April 29th I will be having my first major
performance on the Coast at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons. I will
be presenting koten honkyoku (classical solo shakuhachi Zen pieces) in
the first half. In the second half I will joined by koto
extraordinaire, Brett Larner. Brett is one of the very few accomplished
male, western koto players. He studied many years in Japan with the
Sawai School of koto in Tokyo and also has two advanced music degrees
from Wesleyan University and Mills College. We will be presenting a
selection of traditional and contemporary pieces for shakuhachi and
koto. This evening of enchanting soul music from Japan promises to move
your heart and spirit and take you back to the Land of the Rising Sun.

I am also organizing a trip to Japan this November. Some of the main
activities we have planned are to harvest bamboo (around Tokyo,
Saitama, and/or Gunma) to make shakuhachi with, visit a Zen temples to
meditate, see shakuhachi performance, partake in shakuhachi workshops
in the beautiful mountainside of Chichibu with Yokoyama Katsuya's
Kokusai Shakuhachi Kenshukan (International Shakuhachi Training
Centre), and experience the famous and incredible Chichibu Yo Matsuri
(Night Festival), and of course do some shopping in Asakusa! If you are
interested, please contact me and let me know.

Music of Japan

* April 29, 2004 @ 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Shakuhachi Honkyoku (Original
Zen Pieces for solo shakuhachi Japanese Bamboo Flute) and duets for
shakuhachi and koto presented by Alcvin Ramos and Brett Larner @
Heritage Playhouse in Gibson's, BC. (662 Gibsons). Tickets $10 (adults)
/$7 (students and seniors) purchased at the door or call: 604-883-2023
to reserve.

Alcvin Takegawa Ramos profile

Alcvin was born in Japan where he spent many years studying shakuhachi.
Although he played piano, guitar, and trumpet for several years, it was
through his studies of Eastern Religions from the University of
California at Santa Barbara and the practice of martial arts and
meditation that inspired him to go to Japan to study shakuhachi. He has
studied extensively with Kaoru Kakizakai, Teruo Furuya, and Katsuya
Yokoyama, as well as hocchiku with Atsuya Okuda, focussing on the
Do-kyoku of Watazumi do and Katsuya Yokoyama. In 1996 he moved to
Vancouver, BC, Canada. He returned to Japan in 1998 to deepen his
studies and in 2001, he received his Shihan (master) license from one
of greatest shakuhachi masters, Katsuya Yokoyama. Alcvin is one of the
few Westerners to be granted this honour. In October 2001, Al returned
to Vancouver, Canada and founded The Shakuhachi Society of British
Columbia, Canada's first shakuhachi centre.

Alcvin pursues an active solo as well as collaborative career with the
shakuhachi. Alcvin has played with various musicians and groups
including: John McLaughlin, Bill Laswell, Kazutoki Umezu, Toshinori
Kondo, Joseph "Pepe" Danza, The Vancouver Symphonietta, The Dreamtime
Continuum, Huun Huur Tu Mongolian Throat Singers, and is a regular
member of Uzume Taiko Ensemble, Canada's first professional taiko
group. Alcvin has played in numerous festivals and venues including the
The World Sacred Music Festival on Miyajima-Hiroshima-Japan,Vancouver
Jazz Festivals, Vancouver New Music Festivals, Powell Street Festivals,
The Canadian Consulate in Tokyo, and the Vancouver Sacred Music
Festivals. In addition, Alcvin has organized concerts and workshops for
visiting shakuhachi masters from Japan and abroad, including the first
Vancouver Shakuhachi Festival in 2003. Alcvin maintains an active
schedule of shakuhachi teaching and performances between Japan, Europe,
Canada and the US.

Alcvin has produced 2 solo CDs of koten honkyoku on his own Bamboo-In
label: The Fire Within and Bamboo In Zen as well as collaborations with
Uzume Taiko, Kakushin Nishihara (biwa), and Dharmakasa.

Current projects:
Uzume Taiko Ensemble with Boyd Seichii Grealy, Bonnie Soon, Jason
Overy, and Micheal O'neil (highland pipes)

Thin Air Orchestra (TAO) with Joseph Pepe Danza (percussion,
shakuhachi, marimba, sitar, etc.) and Joanna Hauser (clarinet, bass
clarinet)

Pepe's site: http://www.pepe-music.com/home.html

Silent Stone with Barry Livingston (piano), Joseph Pepe Danza
(percussion), and members of Soulstream

Dharmakasa with Andrew Kim on 11-stringed violin, sitar, and other
stringed creations.

Andrew's site: http://www3.telus.net/ethnicmusic/

Ichi On-Jobutsu with Kakushin Nishihara (biwa)

Kakushin's Site: http://www.os.rim.or.jp/~kenichii/biwa.html

Alcvin regularly teaches shakuhachi to over 30 students in the
Vancouver, Victoria, and Sunshine Coast areas of British Columbia,
focussing on koten honkyoku, but also teaches modern and ensemble
music. He has also studied the art of making shakuhachi flutes with
Murai Eigoro in Tokyo and produces beautiful jinashi/hocchiku flutes
made from madake which he personally harvests from Japan every year.

For more info: www.bamboo-in.com

Brett Larner profile:

Canadian Brett Larner performs, composes, teaches and improvises on the
koto. For years he lived in Tokyo where he split his time between the
contemporary koto and electroacoustic improvisation scenes. He has been
fortunate to work directly with almost all the people responsible for
his major musical influences and has had particularly strong musical
relationships with Toshimaru Nakamura, Kazue Sawai, Soemon and Taku
Sugimoto. In addition to his koto work, Larner leads the longitudinal
mode guitar ensemble m-7, which has recorded for the labels A Bruit
Secret (France) and IMJ (Japan), and the pop group The Cinnamon Girls,
which records for Lewis Recordings (UK). He is also a competitive
marathon runner.

Brett's hompage: http://www.japanimprov.com/blarner/
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other upcoming Shakuhachi-related events:

April 24, 2004 @ 1:00 PM. UBC Asian Library Open House Shakuhach and
koto presented by Alcvin Ramos and Brett Larner @ the UBC Asian
Library.This is a free event sponsored by the Asian Heritage Month.

* April 24, 2004 @ 3:00 PM. O-Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing) @ the UBC
Asian Centre. Shakuhach and koto presented by Alcvin Ramos and Brett
Larner @ the UBC Asian Library. This is a free event sponsored by
Vancouver Mokuyokai Society.

* May 6, 2004 @ 6:00 PM. Element: A Ceramic Group Exhibition by Mas
Funo, Sam Kwan, Clay Jung Hong Kim, Priscilla Chan, and Sandra Ramos.
Opening reception will feature live music by Alcvin Ramos (shakuhachi)
and Brett Larner (koto) and Katsuya Nonaka (electric guitar). @ The
Gallery of BC Ceramics, 1359 Cartwright Street, Granville Island,
Vancouver, BC, 604-669-3906, www.bcpotters.com.

* May 11-23. Uzume Taiko tour of Montreal, Canada. May 13, 14, 15:
Theatre La Chappel. More places and times and admission TBA.

* June 27 @ The Gumboot Cafe in Robert's Creek: Thin Air Orchestra with
Alcvin Ramos, Joseph Pepe Danza, and Joanna Hauser. Time TBA.

* July 10, 2004, Uzume Taiko on San Juan Island, WA, USA. Place and
time TBA.

* July 16, 2004, Uzume Taiko on Saltspring Island, BC. Place and time
TBA.

* July 17, 2004, Silent Stone on Saltspring Island, BC. Place and time
TBA.

* July 18, 2004, Alcvin Ramos (shakuhachi) and Satomi Edwards (koto)
will play selection of traditional and modern pieces for koto and
shakuhachi. Victoria, BC. Place and time TBA.

* July 29-Aug. 1 New York World Shakuhachi Festival 2004, New York
City, New York. http://www.bigappleshak.com/bas/festivalhighlights.html

* August 3, 2004: Kenshukan comes to the Sunshine Coast. Top level
instructors from the International Shakuhachi Training Centre in Tokyo
will come to Madeira Park, BC to give a concert and workshop. Please
stay tuned for more details.

* October 28-November 12: Hocchiku Master, Atsuya Okuda westcoast
tour: Vancouver, Victoria, Sunshine Coast, Seattle, San Francisco,
Santa Barbara, Ojai, LA. Places and times to TBA.

* November 25-December 5 Annual pilgrimage to Japan's shakuhachi center
to practice, study shakuhachi, and harvest bamboo. To register please
contact Alcvin Ramos: 604-883-2023/ramos@dccenet.com.

---
The Shakuhachi Society of British Columbia
S9-C3
Madeira Park, B.C.,V0N 2H0
Canada
tel: 604-883-2023
email: ramos@dccnet.com
web: www.bamboo-in.com
--Apple-Mail-28--839099136
	charset=US-ASCII

<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param><color><param>0117,0117,0117</param><bigger>Hello!

I hope everyone is doing well with the fine weather we've been having (this is coming from BC, Canada). I apologize in advance if you received this mail more than once. My wife, Sandra and I just moved to the beautiful Sunshine Coast of British Columbia and we're very much enjoying our new home. On April 29th I will be having my first major performance on the Coast at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons. I will be presenting koten honkyoku (classical solo shakuhachi Zen pieces) in the first half. In the second half I will joined by koto extraordinaire, Brett Larner. Brett is one of the very few accomplished male, western koto players. He studied many years in Japan with the Sawai School of koto in Tokyo and also has two advanced music degrees from Wesleyan University and Mills College. We will be presenting a selection of traditional and contemporary pieces for shakuhachi and koto. This evening of enchanting soul music from Japan promises to move your heart and spirit and take you back to the Land of the Rising Sun.

I am also organizing a trip to Japan this November. Some of the main activities we have planned are to harvest bamboo (around Tokyo, Saitama, and/or Gunma) to make shakuhachi with, visit a Zen temples to meditate, see shakuhachi performance, partake in shakuhachi workshops in the beautiful mountainside of Chichibu with Yokoyama Katsuya's Kokusai Shakuhachi Kenshukan (International Shakuhachi Training Centre), and experience the famous and incredible Chichibu Yo Matsuri (Night Festival), and of course do some shopping in Asakusa! If you are interested, please contact me and let me know. </bigger>

<bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger>Music of Japan</bigger></bigger></bigger></bigger></bigger></bigger>

</bigger></bigger></bigger></color><color><param>0116,0116,0116</param><bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger>* April 29, 2004 @ 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Shakuhachi Honkyoku (Original Zen Pieces for solo shakuhachi Japanese Bamboo Flute) and duets for shakuhachi and koto presented by Alcvin Ramos and Brett Larner @ Heritage Playhouse in Gibson's, BC. (662 Gibsons). Tickets $10 (adults) /$7 (students and seniors) purchased at the door or call: 604-883-2023 to reserve. </bigger></bigger></bigger>

</bigger></bigger></color><bold><bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger>Alcvin Takegawa Ramos profile</bigger></bigger></bigger></bigger></bold><bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger> </bigger></bigger></bigger></bigger>

<bigger><bigger>Alcvin was born in Japan where he spent many years studying shakuhachi. Although he played piano, guitar, and trumpet for several years, it was through his studies of Eastern Religions from the University of California at Santa Barbara and the practice of martial arts and meditation that inspired him to go to Japan to study shakuhachi. He has studied extensively with Kaoru Kakizakai, Teruo Furuya, and Katsuya Yokoyama, as well as hocchiku with Atsuya Okuda, focussing on the Do-kyoku of Watazumi do and Katsuya Yokoyama. In 1996 he moved to Vancouver, BC, Canada. He returned to Japan in 1998 to deepen his studies and in 2001, he received his Shihan (master) license from one of greatest shakuhachi masters, Katsuya Yokoyama. Alcvin is one of the few Westerners to be granted this honour. In October 2001, Al returned to Vancouver, Canada and founded The Shakuhachi Society of British Columbia, Canada's first shakuhachi centre.

Alcvin pursues an active solo as well as collaborative career with the shakuhachi. Alcvin has played with various musicians and groups including: John McLaughlin, Bill Laswell, Kazutoki Umezu, Toshinori Kondo, Joseph "Pepe" Danza, The Vancouver Symphonietta, The Dreamtime Continuum, Huun Huur Tu Mongolian Throat Singers, and is a regular member of Uzume Taiko Ensemble, Canada's first professional taiko group. Alcvin has played in numerous festivals and venues including the The World Sacred Music Festival on Miyajima-Hiroshima-Japan,Vancouver Jazz Festivals, Vancouver New Music Festivals, Powell Street Festivals, The Canadian Consulate in Tokyo, and the Vancouver Sacred Music Festivals. In addition, Alcvin has organized concerts and workshops for visiting shakuhachi masters from Japan and abroad, including the first Vancouver Shakuhachi Festival in 2003. Alcvin maintains an active schedule of shakuhachi teaching and performances between Japan, Europe, Canada and the US.

Alcvin has produced 2 solo CDs of koten honkyoku on his own Bamboo-In label: The Fire Within and Bamboo In Zen as well as collaborations with Uzume Taiko, Kakushin Nishihara (biwa), and Dharmakasa.

<bold>Current projects: </bold>

<bold>Uzume Taiko Ensemble with Boyd Seichii Grealy, Bonnie Soon, Jason Overy, and Micheal O'neil (highland pipes</bold>)<bigger>

</bigger>

<bold>Thin Air Orchestra (TAO) with Joseph Pepe Danza (percussion, shakuhachi, marimba, sitar, etc.) and Joanna Hauser (clarinet, bass clarinet)</bold></bigger>

Pepe's site: <underline><color><param>1998,1998,FFFE</param>http://www.pepe-music.com/home.html></underline>

<bold><bigger>Silent Stone with Barry Livingston (piano), Joseph Pepe Danza (percussion), and members of Soulstream</bigger></bold>

<bold><bigger>Dharmakasa with Andrew Kim on 11-stringed violin, sitar, and other stringed creations.</bigger></bold>

Andrew's site: <underline><color><param>1998,1998,FFFE</param>http://www3.telus.net/ethnicmusic/

</color></underline>

<bold><bigger>Ichi On-Jobutsu with Kakushin Nishihara (biwa)

</bigger></bold>Kakushin's Site: http://www.os.rim.or.jp/~kenichii/biwa.html

Alcvin regularly teaches shakuhachi to over 30 students in the Vancouver, Victoria, and Sunshine Coast areas of British Columbia, focussing on koten honkyoku, but also teaches modern and ensemble music. He has also studied the art of making shakuhachi flutes with Murai Eigoro in Tokyo and produces beautiful jinashi/hocchiku flutes made from madake which he personally harvests from Japan every year.

For more info: <underline><color><param>1998,1998,FFFE</param>www.bamboo-in.com</color></underline><color><param>0000,0000,0000</param>

</color></bigger>

<bold><bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger>Brett Larner profile: </bigger></bigger></bigger></bigger></bold><bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger>

</bigger></bigger></bigger></bigger>

<bigger>Canadian Brett Larner performs, composes, teaches and improvises on the koto. For years he lived in Tokyo where he split his time between the contemporary koto and electroacoustic improvisation scenes. He has been fortunate to work directly with almost all the people responsible for his major musical influences and has had particularly strong musical relationships with <underline><color><param>0000,0000,FFEE</param>Toshimaru Nakamura</color></underline>, Kazue Sawai, Soemon and <underline><color><param>0000,0000,FFEE</param>Taku Sugimoto</color></underline>. In addition to his koto work, Larner leads the longitudinal mode guitar ensemble m-7, which has recorded for the labels A Bruit Secret (France) and IMJ (Japan), and the pop group The Cinnamon Girls, which records for Lewis Recordings (UK). He is also a competitive marathon runner.

Brett's hompage: <underline><color><param>1998,1998,FFFE</param>http://www.japanimprov.com/blarner/

------------------------------------------------------------------------

</color></underline><color><param>0116,0116,0116</param>

</color><color><param>0117,0117,0117</param><bigger><bigger><bigger>Other upcoming Shakuhachi-related events:

</bigger></bigger></bigger></color></bigger><color><param>0117,0117,0117</param>

<bigger><bigger>April 24, 2004 @ 1:00 PM. UBC Asian Library Open House Shakuhach and koto presented by Alcvin Ramos and Brett Larner @ the UBC Asian Library.This is a free event sponsored by the Asian Heritage Month.

* April 24, 2004 @ 3:00 PM. O-Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing) @ the UBC Asian Centre. Shakuhach and koto presented by Alcvin Ramos and Brett Larner @ the UBC Asian Library. This is a free event sponsored by Vancouver Mokuyokai Society.

</bigger></bigger></color><color><param>0116,0116,0116</param><bigger><bigger>* May 6, 2004 @ 6:00 PM. Element: A Ceramic Group Exhibition by Mas Funo, Sam Kwan, Clay Jung Hong Kim, Priscilla Chan, and Sandra Ramos. Opening reception will feature live music by Alcvin Ramos (shakuhachi) and Brett Larner (koto) and Katsuya Nonaka (electric guitar). @ The Gallery of BC Ceramics, 1359 Cartwright Street, Granville Island, Vancouver, BC, 604-669-3906, </bigger></bigger></color><underline><color><param>1998,1998,FFFE</param><bigger><bigger>www.bcpotters.com</bigger></bigger></color></underline><color><param>0116,0116,0116</param><bigger><bigger>.</bigger></bigger></color><color><param>0117,0117,0117</param><bigger><bigger>

* May 11-23. Uzume Taiko tour of Montreal, Canada. May 13, 14, 15: Theatre La Chappel. More places and times and admission TBA.

* June 27 @ The Gumboot Cafe in Robert's Creek: Thin Air Orchestra with Alcvin Ramos, Joseph Pepe Danza, and Joanna Hauser. Time TBA.

* July 10, 2004, Uzume Taiko on San Juan Island, WA, USA. Place and time TBA.

</bigger></bigger></color><color><param>0116,0116,0116</param><bigger><bigger>* July 16, 2004, Uzume Taiko on Saltspring Island, BC. Place and time TBA.

</bigger></bigger></color><color><param>0115,0115,0115</param><bigger><bigger>* July 17, 2004, Silent Stone on Saltspring Island, BC. Place and time TBA.

* July 18, 2004, Alcvin Ramos (shakuhachi) and Satomi Edwards (koto) will play selection of traditional and modern pieces for koto and shakuhachi. Victoria, BC. Place and time TBA.</bigger></bigger></color><color><param>0117,0117,0117</param><bigger><bigger>

* July 29-Aug. 1 <underline>New York World Shakuhachi Festival 2004, </underline>New York City, New York. </bigger></bigger></color><underline><color><param>1998,1998,FFFE</param><bigger><bigger>http://www.bigappleshak.com/bas/festivalhighlights.html></bigger></color></underline><color><param>0117,0117,0117</param><bigger><bigger>

* August 3, 2004: Kenshukan comes to the Sunshine Coast. Top level instructors from the International Shakuhachi Training Centre in Tokyo will come to Madeira Park, BC to give a concert and workshop. Please stay tuned for more details.

* October 28-November 12: Hocchiku Master, Atsuya Okuda westcoast tour: Vancouver, Victoria, Sunshine Coast, Seattle, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Ojai, LA. Places and times to TBA.

* November 25-December 5 Annual pilgrimage to Japan's shakuhachi center to practice, study shakuhachi, and harvest bamboo. To register please contact Alcvin Ramos: 604-883-2023/</bigger></bigger></color><underline><color><param>1998,1998,FFFE</param><bigger><bigger>ramos@dccenet.com</bigger></bigger></color></underline><color><param>0117,0117,0117</param><bigger><bigger>.

---

The Shakuhachi Society of British Columbia

</bigger></bigger></color></fontfamily><bigger><bigger>S9-C3

Madeira Park, B.C.,V0N 2H0

Canada

tel: 604-883-2023

email: <underline><color><param>1998,1998,FFFE</param>ramos@dccnet.com</color></underline>

web: <underline><color><param>1998,1998,FFFE</param>www.bamboo-in.com</color></underline></bigger></bigger> --Apple-Mail-28--839099136--

_____________________________________________

List subscription information is at: http://communication.ucsd.edu/shaku/listsub.html



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Feb 23 2005 - 15:42:32 PST