Dear Shakuhachi List and Friends,
Here is my journal entry of my experience of the New York Shakuhachi
Festival this past July. I hope by sharing my experience you can enjoy
one view of that great event.
Thanks again to Ronnie and everyone who made the Festival such a
wonderful experience.
Alcvin
PURE SHAKUHACHI SUMMER by Alcvin Takegawa Ramos
Prologue:
Back in B.C., thoughts, memories like rain soaking into the soil of my
soul, nourishing the roots. Sitting on my pillow focussing on my breath
above my upper-lip and under my nose, preparing my mind for sensation
sweeps through the body. Images of this past summer events drift in and
out of my subtle spheres. Heat. Breath. Shakuhachi. Breath. Music.
Breath. Honkyoku. Breath. Bamboo. Breath. Japan. Breath. Sunshine.
Breath. New York.......
Traveling to New York on the train from Montreal. Yesterday I gave an 8
hour workshop to 5 students in Montreal (one student from Vermont) at
Bruno Deschenes' place. It was great to see all the fine students with
love for shakuhachi. I regret not taking any photos of the group. The
week before we just had a successful workshop and concert with
Kakizakai, Matama and Satomi and I at the Willow Farm on the Sunshine
Caost of British Columbia, Canada, which was wonderful. We learned more
and more about organization and promotional techniques from the
experience.
The landscape view from the train window was beautiful. But my mind was
not on the scenery but on the Shakuhachi Festival for the next 4 days.
10 years ago I attended the first International Shakuhachi Festival in
Bisei, Okayama, Katsuya Yokoyama's hometown. Who would've thought that
that Festival would have blossomed into something so wonderful as the
World Shakuhachi Festivals!
Arriving at Penn Station, New York, I was a little nervous since my
image of New York was quite intimidating, not ever having been there
since I was a child. Also, I didn't know how far I was from New York
University where the Festival was being held. So finally getting to the
dormitory was such a relief. I checked in and started running into
people: Kurahashi Yoshio, Miyoshi Genzan, David Wheeler, James
Franklin, Shimizu, Mastumoto, Kurita, Kato, Murai Eigoro, Kakizakai,
Matama, and Furuya.....It was so great to see Furuya sensei again after
three years. I missed his beautiful, friendly energy and great
shakuhachi sound. Later, Jim Franklin, David Wheeler and I went out for
dinner and did some catching up over Chinese cuisine. David was again
the main designated translator for the Festival. I am constantly awed
by his incredible facility with both languages. Before retiring for the
evening, a group of us met in Rm. 803 where we all had a beer and
kanpai.
DAY 1
The first morning I had a solitary breakfast at a restaurant nearby the
dorm. The weather was surprisingly cool and mild. I was expecting New
York to be extremely hot and muggy. Back at the lobby I met Miyoshi
Genzan and helped him send some faxes to Japan. Afterwards I went up to
Murai-san's room to greet him and his wife. Around 11:00 AM I made my
way to the Silverstein Lounge where the registration was to take place,
this was THE watering hole for shakuhachi people. I was met by Ronnie
Seldin, the main organizer of the Festival and collected my name tag
and festival shirt which was designed by his daughter. Yoshio Kurahashi
was buzzing around helping and greeting everyone. Stepping into the
open area of the lounge a sense of electric excitement pervaded the
room as all the various vendors were setting up their booths and taking
out all the beautiful flutes. It was a great joy to meet all the
shakuhachi friends again: Monty Levenson and his wife Kayo and
daughters Eda and Anna, John Neptune, Yamaguchi Shugetsu, John Singer,
Murai Eigoro, Perry Yung.....Meeting new friends and old friends was
such a wonderful feeling that I lost track of time. If it wasn't for
Kakizakai sensei reminding me I had to play at 4:00 PM I probably would
have missed it. So I rushed back to the dorm room, changed into my
stage outfit then rushed to Kimmel Hall where the opening performance
was being held. Being the the first to play, after Yokoyama sensei's
video greeting, I was quite honored albeit very nervous. Furuya sensei
cautioned me to slow down and catch my breath before I go on, or else
my performance would suffer, which indeed it did. Waiting in the wings,
listening to Yokoyama sensei behind the closed door, I calmed my mind
and focused on playing well. After the last words of Yokoyama sensei,
David Wheeler introduced me and I walked out on stage. I stood still
for a moment letting the atmosphere soak through my ears and pores then
played the piece, Yamagoe.
As I played, memories of the first International Shakuahchi Festival in
1994, in Bisei, Japan and second World Shakuahchi Festival in 1998 in
Boulder, Colorado ran through my mind. In 1994 I was a fledgling
shakuhachi player, and was ready to quit shakuhachi all together since
I felt I was getting nowhere with it. Meeting Christopher Blasdel in
Kyoto the year before (1993), he convinced me to come to the
International Shakuhachi Festival in Bisei. Hearing all the wonderful
players Yokoyama, Riley Lee, Iwamoto Yoshikazu, David Wheeler,
Christopher Blasdel, Marco Lienhardt (who played Yamagoe), John
Neptune, Aoki Reibo, Araki Kodo, Ronnie Seldin, Ralph Samuelson.....I
was re-inspired to continue my shakuhachi studies! In 1998, although in
the worst state of health I've ever been in, I drug my deteriorating
body to Boulder, Colorado to experience the grand beauty of the World
Shakuhachi Festival at the University of Colorado in Boulder, put on by
Cory Sperry. All the greatest players were there again and more! The
energy generated there was unlike any I've ever experienced. Hearing
Yamagoe played again by Kakizakai Kaoru inspired me to return to Japan
and deepen my shakuhachi studies with him and Yokoyama's school. I
regret missing the Tokyo Shakuhachi Summit in 2000, but vowed to attend
the next one in New York. I also was inspired by these root Festivals
to organize the Vancouver Shakuhachi Festival in 2003 which did great
things to spread shakuhachi in Canada and the westcoast. The next ones
will be in 2005 and 2007.
Now, here I am playing at the New York Shakuhachi Festival. With my
last muraiki, I listened to the sound fade away into nothing... Bow...
Then leave the stage. I was happy to be first, as I could sit back and
enjoy the rest of the performances which were wonderful.
Afterwards a group of us met again in Rm. # 803 for more beer and good
company. Retiring to bed after a great shower I drifted off into sleep
anxious for the morning to begin again.
Day 2
My roommate Rich Powers and I rose early the next mornning and started
the day with 20 minutes of zazen then shakuhachi blowing. After a
breakfast bagel and fruit I rushed to the Shakuhachi Lounge to meet
more shakuhachi friends: Mitsuhashi Kifu, Tanifuji Wataru, Peter Hill,
Duke Buphaibool, Peter Smith, Christopher Blasdel and Mika, Dan Ribble,
Phil Gelb, Hideo Sekino, Tim Hoffman, David Sawyer, Yoko Hiraoka, Cory
Sperry, Barry Weiss, Jim Schlefer, Brian Ritchie....
Assisting Kakizakai, Furuya, and Matama in their three consecutive
workshops was wonderful. I always enjoy their high energy and
interactive teaching style. They never fail to create a fine atmosphere
for learning.
The last workshop of the day was one by Aoki Reibo, the current
National Living Treasure of Japan representing the Kinko School of
Shakuhachi. He basically lectured on the virtues of the piece "Koku",
translated by his student, Elizabeth Reian Bennet. Just about everyone
was there.
The Silverstein Lounge closed at 4:00 PM every night to let everyone
focus on the evenings performance. But it would have been easy to stay
there all night talking to friends amongst all the flutes.
That night was the shakuhachi makers' panel discussion which was
fascinating to say the least. However, I had to leave early to prepare
for an open stage performance with Furuya and Peter Hill, and my
lecture the next day. I came back a little late for the evening
performance and witnessed Tim Hoffman play a scorching duet with a
tabla player while injured. Ouch! Again it was an inspiration to see
all the great players. But it was so long that they had to stop the
show before everyone could play. The one's that didn't play were added
to next days' concert.
I returned to the dorm that evening to practice. Suddenly I hear a
knock at the door. I open the door and it was David Sawyer.
"Hi David!" I beamed.
"Is that you playing shakuahchi?" David asks with a stony look.
"Yes, I'm practicing," I answered with a smile.
"It's 1:00 AM. Could you please stop. Yoko and I are beat," replies
David.
"Sorrrrry! I guess I lost track of time. I didn't know it was so late!"
It very well could have been another player because I fell asleep to
the strains of several shakuhachi singing through the building. I
suddenly got a flashback to 1994 in Bisei when Iwamoto Yoshikazu
encouraged everyone to keep your neighbors up all night practicing
shakuhachi!
Day 3
After our morning zazen and RO buki I picked up fruit for breakfast and
took a relaxing stroll to room 714 where Sakai Shodo would be giving a
lesson on the playing of the modern honkyoku, Chikurai Gosho. This is
an awesome piece. I enjoyed the animated and enthusiastic style of
Sakai Shodo's teaching as well as his brilliant playing. Next lecture
in the same room was Dozan Fujiwara's talk on body awareness in
shakuhachi playing which was very helpful. I had to exit early but Bill
Fletcher told me that I just missed a beautiful performance of Dozan's
piece, "Air". I had to prepare for my own lecture at 1:15 PM which I
was giving with the wonderful jinashi player, Kikutsubo Day. It went
better than I anticipated, being sandwiched between the great player,
Mitsuhashi Kifu and Indian-shakuhachi maestro, Tim Hoffman. Immediately
after my lecture I had to rush downstairs to play on the open stage
with Teruo Furuya and Peter Hill. We played "Dai Yon Fudo" by Kineya
Seiho. That was my last duty for the Festival. The rest of the Festival
was enjoyment of listening to and meeting the beautiful shakuhachi
players.
The ladies' shakuhachi panel and masters' concert was no less than
awe-inspiring. As was expressed by some of the audience members, I too
felt it was kind of absurd to especially discriminate the women from
the men, as music is all One. Listening to each player with my eyes
closed, there was no way to tell weather it was a woman or a man.
Everyone agreed that this was a one-time only experience. But I think
it was important to acknowledge the wonderful work that these
exceptional people were doing for shakuhachi.
Back in room #803 for more beer....and an extra bottle of whiskey and
vodka, courtesy of Kato-san!
Day 4
Shamata/anapana---RO buki/San-an/Neri Saji----breakfast. The first
workshop of the morning I attended was perhaps my favorite lecture of
the whole Festival-- a powerful, moving, and tender talk by shakuhachi
master, Junsuke Kawase about his life as a shakuhachi player and his
spiritual realizations gained from honkyoku and devotion to a life as a
shakuhachi player. Christopher Blasdel translated first while David
Wheeler (student of Kawase) went to get photo copies. David took over
translation when he got back. Kawase spoke about his survival from a
heart-attack and coronary bypass and experience with the Chinese art of
breathing-Qi Gong (Ki Ko in Japanese) and the beauty of degeneration
and attrition; the ultimate shakuhachi sound expressed as the wind
blowing across a torn shoji (Japanese paper door) screen. We went
through a cursory run through of Hi Fu Mi Hachigaeshi as well. His talk
was especially poignant since this was Kawase's first time outside of
Japan, having missed the Boulder Festival due to health problems. He
really gave everyone more energy to play shakuhachi from the heart and
soul, which I am totally grateful for.
The next lecture I attended was "Shakuhachi and Other Asian Religious
Music" by Karl Signell, Ralph Samuelson, Tom Hare, and Jorge Alfano.
Having been a religious studies major, topics on spirituality still
fascinate me. Unfortunately I missed the bulk of this lecture having
been caught by the shakuhachi people in Shakuhachi Lounge. I had to
pull myself away from the flutes to catch the last part of the lecture.
Jorge Alfano described his experience of being initiated into a secret
sect of Peruvian flute players who kept the ancient (pre-European)
music alive. I missed Carl Signell's descrption of the similarities
between the middle eastern ney flute and shakuhachi; and Tom Hare's
talk about shakuhachi as seen through Noh plays.
After lunch I attended the lecture on The Spirituality of the
Shakuhachi, by Robert Jonas of the Empty Bell Centre. It was quite
beautiful to hear how Robert was connecting Christianty with Buddhist
and Shakuhachi spirituality. I left with an open mind and a
contemplative mood.
I stayed in Silverstein Lounge till after it closed taking in the last
gulps from the Shakuhachi Watering Hole; connecting with the shakuhachi
makers, Yamaguchi Shugetsu and Masami Kurita more substantially.
---The final concert in Skirball Center was a perfect end to the Festival. Modern performances then topped off by the best of shakuhachi: honkyoku. The only qualms I had about the show are that I felt some of the younger players should have been put in the earlier concerts and Araki Kodo and Junsuke Kawase should have been part of the final honkyoku concert. Riley Lee who couldn't make it due to other performance commitments sent a message which was read at the end announcing the next World Shakuhachi Festival to be held in Sydney Australia in 2008.
After the show the scene outside of the theater was beautiful to see how the love of shakuhachi and the Festival connected all the people closer together. It was indeed a "Bamboostock", as one performer put it.
Our last night was spent this time in room #1401. The party started with a few people and expanded to about 20. The party went on till about 3 AM. I left early since I had to leave back to British Columbia early the next morning.
---
Epilogue:
The shakuhachi festivals which have grown from Katsuya Yokoyama's first International Shakuhachi Festival in Bisei, have become like pillars of light and strength for shakuhachi in the world. It reflects the importance of this simple and profound bamboo flute in the lives of people throughout the world. As shakuhachi players and enthusiasts let's do our best to imagine shakuhachi as the great instrument of peace and love that it is. Let's learn about the infinite beauty and profundity that it holds and keep the traditions alive while expanding it's dimensions.
I look forward to seeing you all in Sydney in 2008 and in Vancouver in 2010!
Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu,
Alcvin Ramos
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Alcvin Takegawa Ramos Director The Shakuhachi Society of British Columbia ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ S9-C3 Madeira Park, B.C.,V0N 2H0 Canada tel: 604.883.2023 cell: 604.788.0060 MAIL: ramos@dccnet.com WEB: www.bamboo-in.com
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