[Shaku] Four Messages from Riley Lee - Msg #3

Hello all.

I have several announcements to make. Announcement #3:

I am pleased to announce the introduction of the first (and only)
postgraduate degree course in an accredited tertiary institution for
shakuhachi performers in the in English language. The course is for a
Masters Degree. It is constructed around what is called a
postgraduate research degree. The successful candidate must complete
a number of required classes and write a final thesis in order to
graduate. The primary focus of the course however, is on shakuhachi
performance.

The official degree name is Masters of Music (Performance).

The course is being offered at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
(venue for the World Shakuhachi Festival in 2008), which is part of
the University of Sydney. It is a two-year full time course, but can
be completed part time over a longer period of time.

The initial student of this course, Kevin Man, started this course in
the first semester of this year (February 2006). He will be doing it
part time over four years.

For more information, please see the Sydney Conservatorium of Music's
website:

http://www.music.usyd.edu.au/FS/postgrad/study/courses/
performance_res.shtml

Quoting from that webpage:

"On successful completion of the Master of Music (Performance), each
candidate will be able to organise and present performances which
demonstrate independence of thought, critical powers, interpretative
capacities and high potential as a musician and scholar. Candidates
will be able to articulate the contribution which their performance
makes towards extending the boundaries of the discipline of
performance through such means as expanded stylistic or
interpretative horizons, investigation of historical performance
practice, development of new performance modes, relationships and
techniques, or through enhanced critical, historical or analytical
perspectives."

For many of you musicians, that little bit of academic-speak might
convince you that the idea of going to uni in order to do music is
NOT for you!

By doing this course however, not only will you have a piece of paper
that will help to 'legitimise' your shakuhachi credentials in the
eyes of much of the western music establishment, but it will, we
hope, actually make you a much better and more knowledgeable
shakuhachi performer. It might also just possibly help make you more
able to play your shakuhachi for a living, if only a meager one.

As the programme has only begun this year, there is as yet little
information on the SCM's website specific to the shakuhachi
programme. More information will be available in time.

Please note that this is not a course for beginners; a high level of
proficiency on the shakuhachi is one of the prerequisites of being
accepted on the programme.

Best regards, Riley Lee

Dr Riley Lee
PO Box 939
Manly NSW 1655 Australia
0414 626 453
+61 2 9976 6904
www.rileylee.net

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Received on Mon May 1 09:38 PDT 2006