Country Practice

A short visit to Oberon, my parent’s farm, to practise. It was freezing at nights [literally] but beautiful when the wind subsided enough not to interfere with the utaguchi [mouthpiece]. Absolute silence from human noises all around, simply frogs, insects buzzing, cows mooing, birds flittering and chattering and my serene cat listening patiently.

Opera House Fusion concert

Riley, Taikoz, a street dancer Japanese rap-style, didgeridoo and Japanese guitarists from fusion tonal pop joined forces for a concert marking the year of Australian-Japanese cultural exchange, in the Sydney Opera House. This was also the day so hot with bush-fires - 34 degrees and very dry - that my 1.6 shakuhachi split in two places.

Komachi Shak Dinner

Eighteen people attended dinner and the musical soiree of Bronwyn on shakuhachi and Shoko on koto at Komachi Japanese restaurant in Surry Hills. Six of Ben’s friends including Justien and Robert Henke a.k.a Monolake; Judith, Kevin and his wife, Roy and Emily, Joanne and Kota, Hong Jun, Ning, Lara and Theo, Nathan and I. The food was doused in a generous proliferation of bonito flakes but the music was wonderful, if occasionally overwhelmed by the noisy chatty atmosphere and reverberant space. [the image above is from a previous Komachi dinner when Miyama played koto]