Hello all,
Thanks to those of you who have contributed to my shakuhachi survey so far.
I have collected 32 survey responses and hope to get more to produce a
valid study of the Western development of this traditional Japanese flute.
If you did not fill out this survey previously and are amenable to
contributing, please take a little time to answer the questions as briefly
or as extensively as you like (see survey at bottom of this file) and reply
to my email address at keister@colorado.edu. Out of consideration for
others PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR RESPONSE TO THE ENTIRE LIST.
Since 32 returns is still a small sample, I have not done any statistical
analysis yet. After a cursory study of the 32, I have not found any real
surprises. I can report that the majority of responses indicated that most
people either practice or at least think of playing the shakuhachi as a
form of meditation. However, there does not seem to be a majority of
shakuhachi players who consider themselves "Buddhists." Obviously,
definitions of "meditation" and "Buddhist" vary according to the person. I
can also report that I have recently translated this survey into Japanese
where it has been posted on some Japanese bulletin boards. I have collected
about five Japanese responses so far. A cross-cultural comparison of
shakuhachi practice might produce some interesting results. More on that later.
Many thanks,
Jay Keister, Assistant Professor
University of Colorado, Boulder
--------------------------------
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?
2. Are you male or female?
3. In what U.S. state or country do you live?
4. What is your ethnic background?
5. What is your education level? (high school; college graduate; advanced
degrees)
6. What was your approximate income last year?
7. Do you have any religious affiliation that you feel strongly about?
If yes, describe:
Were you raised from childhood with this religious affiliation?
What is your family's religious orientation, if any?
Would you describe yourself as a Buddhist?
8. Do you play any other instruments besides shakuhachi?
If yes, please list the instrument(s):
9. Did you have any musical experience prior to playing shakuhachi?
If yes, please describe (lessons or training, participation in bands, etc.):
10. Are you presently involved in any other musical activities outside of
shakuhachi?
11. Do you have any knowledge of the Japanese language? If yes, please
describe:
B. Questions about shakuhachi playing and related practices:
12. What kind of shakuhachi flute(s) do you have?
13. Approximately how much have you spent on your instrument(s)?
14. How did you first become interested in the shakuhachi?
15. What qualities of the music or the instrument appeals to you?
16. How long have you been active as a shakuhachi player?
17. Do you study shakuhachi with a teacher? [Teachers--see Section D below]
If No, what is your method for learning shakuhachi? Recordings? Books?
If Yes, who is your teacher?
How long have you studied with your teacher?
How often do you study with a teacher?
What kind of repertoire do you study with your teacher? Honkyoku? Jiuta? Minyo?
18. Did you play shakuhachi before studying with a teacher? If yes, how long?
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?
21. Do you listen to recordings of shakuhachi music?
If yes, how often?
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?
23. Have you ever participated in any special shakuhachi workshops?
If yes, how many have you attended?
Are workshops an effective and efficient way of learning shakuhachi?
24. Please rank the following activities in order of importance to you
(1 = most important, 2 = important, 3 = least important, etc.):
Individual practice
Your own public performance or student recital
Socializing with other shakuhachi enthusiasts
Attending shakuhachi workshops
Attending concerts of shakuhachi performers
Listening to recordings of shakuhachi performers
25. How important is shakuhachi notation in your regular playing habits?
Very Important/Important/Not very important
26. Have you ever visited Japan?
If no, are you planning to go in the near future?
If yes, how many times?
If yes, did you study shakuhachi in Japan? For how long?
27. Have you ever participated in any of the following activities? (If yes,
please describe how often):
Meditation practices?
Attended Buddhist lectures?
Martial arts?
Tai Chi or Qi Gong?
Yoga?
Are any of the above activities a result of your involvement with shakuhachi?
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
29. Have you made any changes in your personal/family life to accommodate
your shakuhachi practice, learning or performance?
If yes, describe:
30. Do you feel that playing the shakuhachi helps you to learn about
Buddhism or about Japanese culture?
31. In your opinion, is the shakuhachi an instrument of meditation?
A musical instrument? Or is it both?
32. Is playing the shakuhachi an act of meditation for you personally? If
yes, can you briefly describe?
33. Do you feel that playing shakuhachi is a method of spiritual
fulfillment? If yes, can you briefly describe?
34. Has playing the shakuhachi helped you cope with any personal problems
in your life?
35. Do you feel that the shakuhachi has any healing powers or positive
health effects?
36. Do you have any particular goals you would like to achieve by playing
shakuhachi?
D. Questions for Teachers of shakuhachi:
37. Do you teach the shakuhachi as a part-time or full-time profession?
38. Do you travel in order to teach the shakuhachi? If yes, how often?
39. What kind or level of teaching certification do you have?
40. Please list your teacher(s):
41. Which school of shakuhachi are you associated with?
42. What types of music for shakuhachi do you teach?
What percentage of your teaching involves honkyoku?
43. To what extent is your teaching style similar to, or different from,
your own teacher? Please describe:
44. How do you measure student progress?
45. Do you require your students to play recitals?
46. To what extent do you verbalize about Buddhist or Japanese
philosophical concepts in your teaching?
47. Have you taught at shakuhachi workshops?
In your opinion, how effective are workshops in learning the shakuhachi?
48. How important is the use of shakuhachi notation in teaching?
Very Important/Important/Not very important
49. How important is it for the student to precisely imitate the teacher's
playing?
Very Important/Important/Not very important
50. How important is it for the student to use a tape recorder?
Very Important/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
52. How important is it for the student to be familiar with Buddhism or
Japanese philosophical concepts?
Very Important/Important/Not very important
53. Do you teach techniques for using the shakuhachi as an instrument of
meditation?
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!
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