هنر هنری artistic art artist arts artists هنرمند نقاشی ژاپن ژاپنی japan japanese panting ukioe
Ryuzen's Blog
November 18, 2010
Unfortunately this year's trip to Japan had to be cancelled due to the majority of participants canceling. Just a sign of the tough economy now. Hopefully next year we can go. I put up a new Facebook page for it here:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122668324453692
It's gonna be a really wonderful journey with video footage this time. Hope to make a documentary out of it.
Just finished the last kiln firing for Sandra this year. Pretty intenese as usual but it's much easier now as we know what to expect and how to do things more efficiently.
Looking forward to next year's projects. New honkyoku CD in the works. I think Densabi will be playing together again. More work with Haagen as well as Isshin Denshin. Will play for Stephen Hawking in Austin, TX in the Spring, doing summer festivals, going to Belgium and Germany with Uzume in the fall, and hopefully Japan in November, and lots lots more!
Keeping the shakuhachi light alive and burning bright.
Jan. 22 , 2010
String Theory (Part 3)
As
of yet I have not found a concrete connection between shakuhachi and
guqin. But the fact that the guqin has a tradition in Japan of over a
1000 years was quite exciting to discover. The Chinese zen monk,
Shinetsu (Jiang Xingchou) first brought the guqin into Japan in 1677 and
passed on his teaching to Taki Rankei who in turn taught it to the
multi-talented artist, Uragami Gyokudo. The thing I find interesting is
that the guqin pretty much retained it’s Chinese-ness rather than being
altered into a Japanese instrument like most of the other imported
instruments from China underwent. Perhaps this is why it never became as
popular as the koto, shamisen, and shakuhachi. I will try to see if the
shakuhachi and guqin in Japan have ever been combined back in those
early days.
String Theory (Part 2)
I have a great affinity to meditation traditions, especially Japanese Zen and Chinese Taoist and proto-Taoist practices and the art that sprung from this world view. Being a musician and lover of nature in general, all these interests culminate in these two instrumental traditions which I chose to play with passion. I am already a long time shakuhachi practitioner, and recently started guqin, but feel like it's always been part of my spirit.
Back to my
guqin story. My second lesson with the silk-string master was great and
learned lots of practical things like learning how to string the
instrument, how to tie the yingtou (butterfly knot), basic right and
left hand fingering techniques, posture, reading notation, and start of
the basic tuning piece, "Xian Yung Zao" (Old Immortal Bathing). But a
week later I called teacher to set up another lesson and he told me that
he had to discontinue lessons with me as he would be in Taiwan for an
extended time. I felt sad, but I immediately called some of the contacts
that Professor Thrasher gave me; in particularly Diana Chin. I was
pleasantly surprised that she invited me to her place for a lesson
immediately. I scheduled a first lesson the following week.
At the lesson I was very much happy to find that Diana was so
relaxed and informal about her lessons. She owns a Chinese tea and
clothing store in a mall in Richmond where she also teaches out of. Her
approach to teaching was that she wanted to get me playing as soon as
possible. So she started me on an advanced piece, "Guan Shan Yue", Moon
Over the Mountain Pass, a 200 year old piece which expresses the
feelings of soldiers going off to war to defend the northern border of
China, possibly never to return. Needless to say, I was a bit
intimidated by the difficulty of the piece, but Diana said I should be
OK. So for the next 4 months I focussed on this one piece learning how
to read the notation, developing subtle technique, and callouses on my
left hand fingers. At every lesson I would learn a few bars at a time
until I finally understood the whole piece's flow and memorized
it.......to be continued.
Nov. 19, 2009
String Theory
For the last 6 months I have been semi-obsessed with the ancient Chinese 7-stringed zither called guqin. The biggest reason for me pursuing this fascinating instrument is it's similarity to the shakuhachi: meaning that it, like the shakuhachi, was a sonic bridge to a more refined state of consciousness; a tool to enhance the aesthetic atmosphere and elevate the spirit towards enlightenment and peace. Although very different in form, I couldn't help but muse on if there was a concrete connection; and if not if there was a direct influence on the philosophy and practice of shakuhachi. After 4 months of study, I've had some wonderful, personal discoveries about shakuhachi via guqin.
It is said that the guqin is the oldest of all Chinese musical instruments. But I think this is arguable because I believe that percussive instruments and even flutes, predate chordophones in China. For example there was a recent discovery a 9,000 year old bird-bone flute found in Jiahu, China. Check this article out: http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/1999/bnlpr092299.html. But it is certainly the most revered and most documented of China's instruments from the earliest times. Anyway, my story with the guqin began about 13 years ago. I had just moved to Canada after 4 years in Japan. I was watching a program on TV and a woman was playing a fascinating, 7-stringed, bridge-less, table zither in a meditational setting with incense and tea. She mentioned the instrument she was playing as the "qin" and was a perfect compliment to her meditation. In addition to being totally charmed by the sound and atmosphere it created, it reminded me strongly of the shakuhachi, which I had begun studying five years earlier. I forgot about guqin until I took a trip to San Francisco sometime in 1998 and saw an actual qin at the Museum of Asian Art for the first time. I was very moved by the simple, elegant, "just right" size and the strong desire it stirred in me to play it. Thoughts swirled in my mind of just taking it right off the wall while no one was looking and just walking out the door!!! Later that year I left for Japan to live for three years of intensive shakuhachi study. During a holiday I visited the Tokyo National Museum and saw a qin again in the Chinese section and was moved again. Being deeply immersed in shakuhachi at the time the idea of actually studying this very cryptic instrument never even crossed my mind. As the years passed, occasionally the qin would float in and out of my consciousness. When I returned to Canada in 2001 I began my career as a musician and connected with various musicians in the Vancouver music scene. I met the world music instrument collector, Randy Raine Reusch in 2005 and he actually had a qin. Unfortunately he was not selling it! His wife, Mei Han is a master of the guzheng, 17-stringed Chinese zither. Earlier in 2009 guqin really impinged upon my consciousness and I was finally compelled to search for a teacher. I called Mei Han and asked if she knew any teachers and surprisingly she referred me to a rare master of silk string guqin who lived in near us in Burnaby! I could hardly believe it. Needless to say I was pretty excited. So I immediately called him. Apparently he was in Taiwan at the time and so had to wait for a month till he returned. I finally got to meet him in June and was pretty moved at our first meeting. I didn't have a guqin to practice with so I asked him if he could help me acquire one. He said it was against his principles to deal in the buying and selling of guqin so he suggested I visit UBC and ask the Chinese Music Department if I could borrow their unused guqin. I took his advice and called the head of the Chinese Music Department, Professor Alan Thrasher and explained to him my desire to learn guqin. We set up a meeting and a paid him a visit the following week. It was a good meeting and was happy to see that there was a guqin hanging on the wall that was collecting dust. I asked if I could borrow it and Professor Thrasher allowed me to borrow it in exchange for giving it a maker with new strings. I heartily agreed and finally started playing a qin! During our meeting Professor Thrasher also gave me more guqin connections in Canada. I was so elated to actually have a qin to practice on. Now I could start my lessons with the teacher in Burnaby....to be continued.
Fishing for Kami
Just completed a retreat with Bruno Deschenes from Montreal. Every summer I open my home to students who want to do intensive practice of shakuhachi. Teaching is learning more about shakuahchi for me. It is part of my shakuhachi life. Although I am teaching a student, I am also learning lots from them and the process as well. In the west, there is a saying in the arts: “Those who can’t do, teach!” In Japanese (and other eastern cultures), the perception is different. Teaching is an ubiquitous part in the life of the artist. Teachers are highly respected and consequently have a high level of responsibility in the spiritual and artistic development of the student.
I feel incredibly fortunate to live in an incredibly beautiful place
to offer shakuhachi retreats. I feel it’s important to have a place
amongst beautiful natural setting far from the city to have a good
retreat. Walking and training amongst the ancient trees, the ocean,
lakes, hills is so wonderful to connect and communicate with nature’s
beauty and intelligence. In Shinto, the indigenous religion of Japan,
there is a belief in Kami, or nature spirits that inhabit all natural
phenomenon from rocks to the sky, storms, animals, plants, and humans.
Although zen Buddhism was a major influence in shakuhachi practice, so
was Shinto to shakuhachi. The idea of Misogi Shugyo, constant daily
training, is very important in esoteric Shinto. “Rise early in the
morning to greet the sun. Inhale and let yourself soar to the ends of
the universe; breathe out and let the cosmos inside. Next breathe up the
fecundity and vibrance of the earth. Blend the breath of earth with
your own and become the breath of life itself. Your mind and body will
be gladdened, depression and heartache will dissipate and you will be
filled with gratitude (kansha).” Every morning we walked to the ocean
and warmed our bodies up with 200 strokes of the wooden staff or sword.
Then blew 100 long tones on shakuhachi then played honkyoku. It’s a
wonderful way to start the day! One of the mornings while walking back
home from our misogi, carrying our staffs and shakuhachi, a local lady
passed us and smile, asking us if we had a good time and if had caught
anything in the ocean. I just smiled at her and said, “Yes, we had a
great catch!” Bruno and and I just smiled silently at each other and I
thought, “Yes, we are certainly caught a big Kami!”
Bruno spent 4 days and nights here and I pushed him to his limit. Here was the daily schedule:
AM
7:00 Rise
7:30 Walk; staff/ken training;RO Buki by the ocean
9:00 Breakfast, rest, free time
10:00 Shakuhachi Lesson
PM
12:00 Lunch, rest, free time, practice
1:00 Shakuhachi making
4:00 Shakuhachi Lesson
6:00 Supper, free time, rest, practice
7:30 Shakuhachi lesson
9:30 Sitting meditation
10:30 Retire
It’s great to be on a steady schedule of shugyou, shakuhachi practice, contemplation, and wonderful meals every day. Sandra cooked all around the clock making sure that Bruno was well-fed.
5 days Retreat Menu
Day 1
Dinner:
BBQ chicken
Grilled vegetables
Chocolate almond souffle
Day 2
Breakfast:
Popover
Fruits
Lunch:
Lentil soup
Rosemary bread
Hummus
Salad
watermelon
Dinner:
BBQ salmon
Asparagus
Brown rice
Ice cream and fruits
Day 3
Breakfast:
Blueberry muffins
Fruits
Lunch:
Spinach pie
Salad
Fruits
Dinner:
Sushi wraps
Miso soup
Pie w/ ice cream
Day 4
Breakfast:
Scones
fruits
Lunch:
Sandwich
Squash soup
fruits
Dinner:
Seafood pasta
Salad w/ goat cheese and cranberries
Banana bread
Day 5
Breakfast:
Toast
Omelette
Fruits
Lunch:
Picnic
wraps
banana bread
Dinner:
Hot pot
Brown rice
Banana soufflé
It’s really moving to see him put all his heart into studying shakuhachi. That’s the proper way to approach shakuhachi! Even though I push him to his limit, he never gets discouraged and finds the beauty and love in the experience. He’s been taking internet lessons with me for the last couple of years, so it is such a relief to actually have concentrated lessons face to face. So much more is imparted. Most importantly is hearing and feeling the actual sound and expression, which is very limited over the internet. Interestingly, I have more internet students now than actual face to face students!
I only offer retreats for one person at a time as I think this is the best way for a student to get concentrated attention. My intention is to teach people how to play shakuhachi to the best of their ability. Much of my teaching is giving the student a strong foundation in basic technique. If the student has enough faith in me, I guarantee that I will teach the student how to play properly and to maximize their enjoyment of the shakuhachi. Along with strong technique, I also emphasize spirituality in the experience of shakuhachi as I believe how one imagines one’s life, and their relationship with the universe, nature, spirit is the most important thing in life. Shakuhachi is merely a tool to express one’s spirit, and to train the mind and body for unifying with the cosmos in a deeper way. I want to teach the student how to play honkyoku wonderfully; but I also teach how to play ensemble music (with koto and shamisen); modern music, and improvisation if the students chooses to do so. But the emphasis is always on growing the root in honkyoku as this is the sound that should influence all other types of music one plays.
There are many teachers and styles of shakuhachi in Japan and more teachers outside of Japan are increasing. I encourage students to experience as many dimensions of shakuhachi as they can and that means having the freedom to train with more than one teacher. No one teacher can give a student all she or he needs. But I think that studying with one teacher for at least the first few years (especially if the teacher is a good one) is very beneficial for the student as one can form a strong foundation in playing and understanding the shakuhachi.
The rest of the summer retreat schedule is booked full. If there is anyone interested in coming for a retreat next year please contact me: ramos@dccnet.com. You can see more information about Bamboo-In Shakuhachi Retreat Centre here: http://www.bamboo-in.com/about-us/temple.html.
Yoroshiku onegaishimasu (thank you in advance for accepting be in your group and your time)
Alcvin
June 2 , 2009
Bruno's retreat is complete and now I'm preparing for my trip to Edmonton to play at the Japanese Festival at the Kurimoto Gardens near the University of Alberta over the weekend. Will also be meeting my student John Paul to give a lesson and also give a shinobue lesson to one of the taiko drummers there.
May 27 , 2009
10 Nights with Colleen was a success! It was a great experience and I met some really wonderful people who were all part of the production. Now Bruno from Montreal is here at Bamboo-In doing a week retreat. It's great to be on a steady schedule of shugyou, shakuhachi practice, contemplation, and wonderful meals every day. Although I'm teaching him how to play shakuhachi, I'm also learning lots from Bruno, who is an avid scholar of eastern philosophy and Japanese art and culture. It's really moving to see him put all his heart into studying shakuhachi. That's the proper way to approach shakuhachi! Even though I push him to his limit, he never gets discouraged and finds the beauty and love in the experience. He's been taking internet lessons with me for the last couple of years, so it is such a relief to actually have concentrated lessons face to face. So much more is imparted. Most importantly is hearing and feeling the actual sound and expression, which is very limited over the internet.
May 13 , 2009
Wow, I'm dizzyingly busy now. I've got rehearsals in Vancouver every day till the 25th, shows on the 17th, 21, 21, 23, and a retreat from the 26-30. But it's really fun to say the least. Weather is much nicer and everything is in bloom!
May 2 , 2009
On May 5 I will be playing at a cross cultural event with some Turkish musicians. The organizer asked me to play Bach's "Largo" which I am preparing now. Will also play with Kozue Matsumoto, a piece for koto and shakuhachi. And hopefully will play honkyoku as well.
To continue about my last post a few days ago, like all things, I think think that shakuhachi is quite difficult to learn, especially if you don't have a teacher who knows how to play, and especially outside it's native culture, or a world where the dominant musical culture is different than the instrument's own musical context. I think it's great that there are great teachers outside of Japan working diligently to teach shakuhachi to those interested.
April 4 , 2009
What a great day it is today! Beatiful weather, perfect for working in the garden. Gardening is great workout; lots of heavy lifting, clean air, sunshine, communing with plants and animals, and relaxing for the mind and soul.
I am so blessed to be here on the beautiful Sunshine Coast living at Bamboo-In! Constant beauty, peace, and love; experiencing the change of seasons, nature, and meditation; energizing for shakuhachi and peaceful, deep music.
March 13, 2009
The weather is finally getting warmer. Tomorrow I have to go into town again for a recording. Looking forward to the new projects of the year.
February 6 , 2009
The new year has started kind of slowly, but now it's picking up with the warming of weather. Next weekend I'll be going to Victoria for the Victoria Tea Festival and will be giving shino-bue lessons to some of the taiko people there. Also doing another gig with Satomi on the 18th.
Will be starting rehearsals with Colleen Lanki and Uzume Taiko soon. Also preparing for the new recording of new CDs in Montreal with Tomoko Yamaguchi. Still waiting on confirmation about her dates.
Nov. 28, 2008
We completed the 2008 Shakuhachi Roots Pilgrimage and it was an incredible journey to say the least. During the trip I received my Daishihan license from Yoshinobu Taniguchi along with the new title "Ryuzen" meaning Dragon Meditation. Many other gifts were received on the trip as well which you can read about in the write up which will be ready soon.
beautiful fine art - basic find all