tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19070385290520234722012-01-08T19:16:14.719+11:00Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comBlogger1061100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-18537183882948953262010-07-18T11:36:00.000+10:002010-07-23T08:49:24.153+10:00

Well of course it's not new because it was released last year! But finally I am announcing it here: Koten Shakuhachi Honkyoku Volume 2 CD after eagerly awaiting its arrival from Tai Hei Shakuhachi online, also available from Mejiro.  Daha 打波  (on 2.4.)Sokkan 息観  (on 3.2)Koden Sugomori 古伝巣籠  (on 1.6)Reibo 霊慕  (on 2.7)Sagariha 下り葉  (on 2.1)Sanya (Mountain Valley) 山谷  (on 2.9)Tsuru no Sugomori 鶴の巣籠

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-16662379822748804812010-07-17T16:51:00.000+10:002010-07-23T08:46:52.913+10:00

1. 赤壁賦 "Sekiheki no Fu" composed by Nakanoshima Kinichi 2. 布袋 "Hotei" composed by Yamada Kengyo 3. 調子&秋風曲 "Choshi" & "Akikaze no Kyoku" Fudaiji Honkyoku & composed by Mitsuzaki Kengyo Performers: 善養寺惠介 & 山登松和 Keisuke Zenyoji and Showa Yamato (shakuhachi, koto & voice) Sekiheki no Fu is a Sokyoku piece maybe in the Meiji Shinkyoku style from the Yamada Ryu (school). This piece was composed for

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-47531068177180586082010-07-16T21:40:00.008+10:002010-07-23T08:43:56.440+10:00

Can you guess who belongs to which one? ... Trying to improve by observation. Here are some other people's ideas: Colorado Mujuan Shakuhachi Dojo | Shakuhachi Forum | Florida Shakuhachi | Spectral Content

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-70551804071188228192010-07-16T17:44:00.118+10:002012-01-08T19:16:14.729+11:00

It has been a difficult couple of years for shakuhachi practice. I started a new job at the University of Technology, Sydney at the end of 2008, established a new degree in Sound and Music Design and in 2009, founded the Sense-Aware Research Lab at UTS. In early 2010 I finished a composition, Diamond Quills, performed by Charisma Ensemble (at Sydney Conservatorium and NIME2010), and recently

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-1216956142792802222010-07-12T09:39:00.016+10:002010-07-26T08:58:43.420+10:00

I must qualify by saying I hardly knew Tom Deaver: I don't have any of his instruments and met him only fleetingly at Bisei Shakuhachi Festival in 2007 but I remembered this picture of Tom in his workshop from Ben's Flickr stream. Ben used to visit Tom from time to time in Japan and once rode his bicycle up the incredible mountainous hills to get there. Tom Deaver passed away on 12 July 2010.

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-63705109331097105752010-04-17T12:50:00.005+10:002010-07-17T18:47:56.426+10:00

Horacio Curti's new CD Ichi is published by Musikeon Agharta Music D.L: B-28758-2009. The CD includes traditional Honkyoku pieces Shika no tone, Tamuke, Sagariha, Sokkan, Honshirabe, Tsuru no Sugomori and Shingetsu, mostly played on 2.4. Shika no tone is played in duet with Kakizakai Sensei (the two deer are still distinguishable despite the well-matched tone quality and approach - since Horacio

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-74049295044677108012010-01-09T16:58:00.009+11:002010-07-17T19:15:45.432+10:00

I first met Koji in Chichibu in 2007 when he and a group from British Columbia were visiting Japan on a 'Bamboo Roots' shakuhachi-playing and bamboo-gathering (in Nagano), jinashi flute-making expedition. This annual trip is usually led by Alcvin Ramos but on this occasion the group was touring without him.  The group from B.C., joined by the visiting Shakuhachi players from Tokyo and Chichibu,

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-344954106842860742008-08-02T09:14:00.048+10:002010-07-17T18:48:55.027+10:00

Photos from the WSF 2008 in Sydney are now online (full set and larger size): http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirstykomuso/sets/72157606395897188/

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-27029202696656033952008-06-01T12:37:00.009+10:002010-07-20T13:48:26.843+10:00

CALL OF BAMBOO Japanese Masters of Shakuhachi & Koto in concert TERUO FURUYA shakuhachi KAZUSHI MATAMA shakuhachi KAORU KAKIZAKAI shakuhachi BRONWYN KIRKPATRICK shakuhachi SATSUKI ODAMURA koto MIYAMA McQUEEN TOKITA koto Shika no Tone 鹿の遠音 traditional anonymous Shun Sui 春吹 composed by Katsuya Yokoyama Haru no Umi 春の海 composed by Michio Miyagi Jogen no Kyoku 上弦の曲

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-89434980588668386292008-03-08T07:07:00.001+11:002010-07-17T12:08:23.954+10:00

After an afternoon of shakuhachi lessons with Bronwyn at David's house, the new 'shakidance' in Sydney, I attended the music performance piece Chika at the Performance Space in its new home at Carriageworks. I was drawn by the appearance of Satsuki Odamura playing koto and Anne Norman playing shakuhachi in the score by Tom Fitzgerald. The music was amplified electronic and traditional

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-11613532885041325452008-03-05T07:06:00.003+11:002010-07-17T12:42:00.358+10:00

The Idan Raichel Project is a world music ensemble directed by Idan from Israel. Perhaps the most remarkable feature about the eclectic band singing in Hebrew is that its membership comprises people from the rich array of ethnic backgrounds represented in Israel, such as African Ethiopians, a Somalian, a Persian singer, Israelis and a wonderful South American percussionist. The gamut of

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-73866276596229108582008-01-28T00:17:00.003+11:002010-07-17T12:10:48.680+10:00

(1) Kakizakai Sensei's mother, Emi, Megumi, Sensei [wickedly holding up the last challenge in Japanese culinary delights - a deliberate test I am sure], Haruka, Takashi (2) Kirsty, Megumi, Emi, Takashi, Kakizakai Sensei's mother, Haruka, Kakizakai Sensei. Naturally, it was tinged with some regret that I had to pack up, clean out the caravan and organise to return to Australia but the Kakizakai

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-48037668992344284422008-01-26T23:31:00.032+11:002010-07-17T12:29:13.018+10:00

One of the brilliant winter joys of crisp freezing air is the the wonderful visibility of unsullied, snow-covered Fuji-san on way to Saturday Higashiyamato lessons, across the tea plantations and incongruous buildings in the western suburbs of Tokyo. Here is (Toyomi) Takahashi-san's photo of my shakuhachi elder brothers. We went to a delicious sushi and nabe restaurant in Tachikawa,

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-74845756696685159682008-01-25T15:58:00.000+11:002008-02-01T19:22:51.825+11:00

Kakizakai Sensei took me to see the Sumo in Tokyo at the Ryoguku Kokugikan across the Sumida River in Tokyo. First, we visited the Edo-Tokyo Museum of history and culture, adjacent to the Sumo stadium. The special exhibition was the Siebold and Hokusai and Their Tradition (also Hiroshige) of woodblock printing (Japanese ukiyo-e) and painting, including works such as Hokusai's 36 views of Mount

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-69292789519108620752008-01-23T09:42:00.000+11:002008-02-01T09:46:23.253+11:00

Live from Chichibu! Today the snowflakes came drifting down, spiralling, and floating and at times thickly plummeting. About 15cm of snow built up in the best spots around the caravan and I enjoyed practising from inside my warm abode while looking out at the silent, peacefully gliding scenery of brilliant reflective luminosity until my lesson at 13:00. Chichibu streets were transformed as the

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-69234707754925993622008-01-22T09:41:00.000+11:002008-02-01T09:45:30.530+11:00

Today I cycled around the meandering foothills of Buko-san to enjoy its view and soak up the local scenery. This included yet another temple (not one of the 34 pilgrimage temples), bamboo groves, tea plantations, the park that is filled with blooming flowers in spring currently under construction and many quaint country houses and windy little paths. I have no specific knowledge about

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-9117069771358161522008-01-18T09:40:00.000+11:002008-02-01T09:40:43.767+11:00

On Friday, we took our first train trip (my bike and I) ... an experiment in folding him up and fortunately not having to share the train carriage with too many people off-peak. The three remaining temples are naturally increasingly remote and so I decided to take a local train a few stops up the line to Minano from where the cycle to Temple No.34 Suisen-ji and back was around 17kms (with a few

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-3987059036350903672008-01-15T21:22:00.001+11:002008-01-15T21:22:49.546+11:00

Today Megumi-san drove me to Mitsumine Jinja in the mountains of Chichibu region. As the photos may reveal, it was one of the most strikingly beautiful shrines in a unique location. As I was earlier in the morning entertaining the thought of cycling there (and back) I am both relieved and very thankful that she rescued me from such a crazy plan! Purportedly Kakizakai Sensei used to cycle there in

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-12685415953889400302008-01-15T03:15:00.000+11:002008-01-15T03:16:17.679+11:00

Apart from Daha, the other piece I am undertaking to study is Shika no tōne 鹿の遠音, a Koten piece from the Kinko Ryu. This factor differentiates it stylistically from the majority of Watazumido/Yokoyama Honkyoku, likening it to Hifumi Hachigaeshi, ornate with finger slides-off that produce a characteristically sliding pitch upwards portamento. Another of its distinctive features is its inclusion (

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-91676299527605337912008-01-13T22:32:00.000+11:002008-01-13T22:35:55.300+11:00

I now have only 3 temples remaining in the Shikoku pilgrimage route of Chichibu (No.s 31, 33, and 34). These are naturally the most far afield but today I cycled the 24km round trip to the fourth-last awkwardly peripheral (on the map) temple, No.30 Hōun-ji. Today was very cold but also unusually blustery, at times the icy wind cutting through small gaps in my scarf or socks (not allowed)! The

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-82511545408116667482008-01-12T22:32:00.000+11:002008-01-13T22:32:48.434+11:00

I have just started learning Daha. This is a Koten piece from the Dokyoku school.The history (from Tajima Tadashi) on komuso.com explains that it is known as Pounding Drum Piece: the title conveys the incessant strivings involved in spiritual practice. The fast tempo and forceful breathing is said to indicate manifestations of the mind under strict discipline. (Pictured right is Sekino Hideo

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-43346532153554705812008-01-11T22:31:00.000+11:002008-01-13T22:31:51.902+11:00

Temple No.9 Akechi-ji in Yokoze valley is a small temple maintained by the local community who have replaced the run-down Kannon Hall with the current unusual hexagonal one. The Kannon has a reputation for being kind to mothers and children and on 16 January a festival for the safe childbirth attracts many female worshippers, according to my guide book. It originated from the story of a healed

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-48105814711432086762008-01-09T22:30:00.000+11:002008-01-13T22:31:10.938+11:00

Temple No.22 Eifuku-ji is a simple temple but set in one of the most rural locations, close to the river amongst plots of farming land and crops. Like most places in the world, in Japan it is also becoming increasingly difficult to make a living from farming and many people move to the cities for office jobs (according to Enbutsu), however, unlike in Australia, but as in Europe, agriculture and

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-31665123365957534482008-01-07T22:29:00.000+11:002008-01-13T22:30:34.293+11:00

I am quite chaffed about my little pet icicle that grew up in the night. Formed from the dripping condensation on the outside of my caravan in the morning, it is approximately 20cm tall with personality.Simple and faded, the Kannon Hall of Temple No.17 Jōrin-ji dates from the Fifteenth or Sixteenth Century, tucked away in a small lane behind houses, unlikely to be encountered unless you are

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-66223263832507765042008-01-03T01:06:00.000+11:002008-01-05T01:12:01.975+11:00

Cycling has its share of small pleasures (not common to driving) like catching the scenery, feeling the sun in winter, smelling the pasture and incense of temples, watching out for patches of still-frozen puddle in the afternoon and noticing little intrigues. In Japan, the manhole covers are usually decorated in some topical or locally appropriate manner. In the valley of the Yokozegawa River,

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-83655831480308412542007-12-31T01:05:00.000+11:002008-01-05T01:06:01.615+11:00

The three-day New Year holiday (shogatsu or oshogatsu) is a very special time in Japan, a time of solemn prayers and joyous greetings. While New Year's Day is a holiday in many parts of the world, the occastion has a unique significance to the Japanese, who take the opportunity to begin anew many aspects of their lives. New Year is regarded in Japan as an auspicious occasion, when people

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-1927029204934831122007-12-25T21:56:00.000+11:002007-12-26T22:01:52.855+11:00

I was looking for something adventurous and interesting to do on a potentially isolated Christmas Day in Chichibu so I had planned to take the time out to cycle to Temple No.32 Hōshō-ji, inspired by the fine views and nice photos on Ben's blog for 23/11/05 and 15/10/06. Ben stated that it was 15km. I wasn't sure if he meant total or both directions. This would, in normal conditions, take less

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-34030144151601920522007-12-23T00:42:00.000+11:002007-12-25T00:43:13.191+11:00

After my shakuhachi lesson in Tokyo yesterday I found very tasty miso ramen in Ikebukuro. Cozy foods like noodles in hot soup are starting to peak in attractiveness with winter. It reached a maximum temperature of 5 degrees in Tokyo yesterday.Today I set out to appreciate the views of the snow-fall on Mount Buko and anything lingering from the night's first snow of the season, maybe ushering in

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-71557889752699542352007-12-21T00:41:00.000+11:002007-12-25T00:46:57.922+11:00

On Friday, Temple No.18 looked fairly straight forward according to the map, off the main highway towards Yokoze. Being mid-afternoon already with practice, composition and dinner plans still on the agenda, I was looking for a simple ride. Enjoying the relatively flat road, I zoomed along and before I knew it spotted a giant roof of ceramic tiles and curvaceous roof idiomatic of many

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-43847647046698059742007-12-20T00:41:00.000+11:002007-12-25T00:41:48.386+11:00

A little 11km round trip took me to Yokoze this afternoon in the lovely sun. Although the temperature was less than 10 degrees the radiance was enticing and many people were out for a walk with their hounds. As my photos might reveal (garden, bamboo, forest), Temple No.6 Buku'un-ji itself proved elusive even after I climbed up a steep hill in the overgrown pine forest. Because dusk was closing

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-82317165803055010262007-12-19T00:39:00.001+11:002007-12-25T00:40:48.892+11:00

Having lessons roughly every Saturday, Monday and Wednesday does not leave much time to ease up. Today, I finally rendered Yamagoe in its entirety by memory to Kakizakai Sensei, I hestitate to say to his 'satisfaction' (that is probably not achieveable) but adequately to move on. That is the traditional Japanese way. You indicate to your teacher that you have memorised the piece by leaving the

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-46897782092430934822007-12-19T00:39:00.000+11:002007-12-25T00:39:40.564+11:00

Click on panorama to see larger viewIt was a beautiful winter yet sunny day for cycling so I continued my 'cycle pilgrimage' to the temples of Chichibu with a round trip of approximately 18kms, quite hilly at times. I stopped a few times to take photos and appreciated the magnificence of the Chichibu mountains looking majestic and undulating around the 360-degree horizon. Looking down on Chichibu

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-4472270196662426222007-12-16T00:37:00.000+11:002007-12-25T00:38:36.999+11:00

Yesterday I made the (approximately 12km) round trip to Temple No.3 Josen-ji. When I stopped for directions from the guy at Bike shop (in hindsight decidedly sadistic), he recommended the curly 'traditional' hiker- and bicycle-only route straight (up and) over the mountain that involved a very steep climb past the Italian Pinokio restaurant and meander along the summit's rural sun-glowing

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-26508861603433162012007-12-14T13:29:00.000+11:002008-02-02T23:46:58.078+11:00

On Friday night at Hibiya City Hall, Tokyo with Toho School of Music orchestra, Kakizakai Sensei performed Takemitsu's November Steps. It is a double concerto for biwa, 2.4 shakuhachi and duo-orchestra, i.e. on the stage the orchestra is divided into two halves, seated as far apart as possible to emphasise the duality and sterophony. There are 2 oboes, 3 clarinets, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, 4

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-23440333662205186732007-12-13T13:35:00.000+11:002007-12-16T13:35:41.269+11:00

Today we were especially fortunate that Megumi-san could take us by car to two of the more remote, outlying temples. Temple No.4 Kinshō-ji features a large Eighteenth Century two-storey gate bearing two enormous straw sandals and several pillars inscribed by calligrapher Matsuda Kaiken, one of the finest calligraphers in Chichibu. The temple is filled with more than a thousand stone statues,

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-68450406343481603592007-12-12T13:34:00.000+11:002007-12-16T13:35:01.578+11:00

Today I took a maiden bicycle pilgrimage with the Birdy (BD-1 bike) to Temple No.24 Hōsen-ji. This is a modest little temple nestled in the woods up a steep climb of 116 uneven, worn steps on the far side of the river from my house. According to an imaginative legend, a monk from seaside Japan came to this place and rested (in the 18th century). A goddess appeared to him and made him a gift by

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-2650983711288931242007-12-11T13:33:00.000+11:002007-12-16T13:34:09.627+11:00

Climbing up the slope past the limestone quarry, we reach the entry to well-kept Temple No.11 Joraku-ji. The Kannon Temple was rebuilt in 1880 after the Edo period original edifice was consumed by fire, watched over by an elegant row of Jizo statues. The pathway wanders up the hillside turning back on itself through a tunnel of spaced-apart termite-chewed old torii gates under cyprus. At the

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-57824558819354667012007-12-11T13:32:00.000+11:002007-12-16T13:33:23.496+11:00

In Shinto, when the spirit Kami enters a rock or a tree, as a manifestation of the energy/nature spirit in everything, it can become enshrined, like this giant old tree. The torii gate behind and Kundan standing there in the foreground give an idea of scale. The crutches holding up this tree are not the usual wooden ones, rather they are great steel supports. Remarkable features of Temple No.16

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-50618354646105314212007-12-07T13:32:00.000+11:002007-12-16T13:32:46.127+11:00

On Friday, Kundan and I took advantage of the bright sun to take a walk to Temple No.12 Nosaka-ji and the Yamato Art Museum up on the hill. The latter features Munakata Shiko, a woodblock artist who rapidly carves away print blocks in a style reminding me of Margaret Preston, constantly echoing a theme of round-faced women and dense calligraphic backgrounds. Nosaka-ji has a garden known for

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-7013044372112154302007-12-03T20:13:00.000+11:002007-12-13T20:13:59.425+11:00

Monday was the 'real' day of the night festival. In the morning I went early to see the Kami-machi yatai jolt out of the garage and head on down the street, followed by a preliminary reconnoitre of the street stalls, interesting foods and unsurpassable odour of cooking octopus and bonito filling the nostrils. I met up with Megumi and she showed me round the many streets filled with stalls of

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-60109063210949601432007-12-02T21:02:00.000+11:002007-12-06T12:03:50.516+11:00

Sunday 2 December is still all 'warm up' for the main day, 3 December (this year falling on Monday). All 6 yatai (floats) make their way towards the Chichibu Shrine down the main street. They are spaced apart to allow for the hundreds of feet of tow-rope in front and for the signalling and turning manoeuvres at corners in the road. This also separates (somewhat) their independent taiko music

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-7295936465022868362007-12-02T12:02:00.000+11:002007-12-06T12:02:37.276+11:00

The main nocturnal part of the festival is Monday but Sunday during the day the floats move from their garages to the main Shrine for a ceremony, blessing and celebration of the harvest/thanksgiving. By daylight is a good opportunity to see the beautiful detail of the floats and hear the music before the crowds descend on Chichibu too much. Once again, I set out from Kami-machi, the neighbourhood

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-18048653673920765642007-12-01T12:01:00.000+11:002007-12-06T12:01:52.574+11:00

I re-visited beautiful Temple 28 with Kundan. We wanted to catch the spectacular cliff before the autumn leaves fall and this time, Kundan convinced me it was important to don the white hard hat and crawl through the limestone cave with 2000 year old traces of human life. We ate very traditional soba with wasabi and dipping sauce at the delightful little inn that also sold ceramics, tanukis of

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-81907279199229035462007-11-30T01:28:00.000+11:002007-11-30T01:35:28.076+11:00

Passing the cyprus lumber-yards, limestone quarries, and stopping in briefly at a cultural museum, I proceeded south to Temple no.28 Hashidate-ji. This temple has a very unusual setting. The Kannon Hall is overshadowed by a huge cliff-face that inclines overhanging the buildings and luminous autumn trees. It was truly breath-taking when I first stopped to look up and see the magnitude of the

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-87262192439089574152007-11-29T01:26:00.000+11:002007-12-06T12:07:06.566+11:00

Chichibu Night Festival on 2-3 December is also known as Yomatsuri, a name given to the culminating festivity of the six-day annual celebration of Chichibu-jinja (Chichibu Shrine), whose deity is wedded to Mt. Buko. In past times, the festival was an occasion of thanksgiving for farmers and was held in November, as were most Japanese Thanksgiving Festivals until the Meiji Era, when the calendar

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-89758825862130310382007-11-20T12:37:00.001+11:002007-11-20T14:32:35.060+11:00

Yesterday, a group of touring Canadians (and a North American) visited Chichibu on their annual Bamboo Roots trip to Japan. Originating from annual tours led by Alcvin Ramos of BC Shakuhachi Society in Vancouver, this year the group was making the trip without him, including Jim Flight, Peter Smith, Darren Stone, Koji Matsunobu and Jane Kilthau (NY). Their shakuhachi pilgrimage includes the

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-74439434803207312492007-11-18T12:57:00.000+11:002007-11-20T13:07:30.062+11:00

Sundays bring Tokyo-ites and other tourists to Chichibu for hiking, cycling and sight-seeing. The temple is always a hive of activity and bursts of autumnal colours. Shrine number 13 is pictured, one of many on the pilgrimage route. Saturday I awoke to the first frost of icicles of the season and Kakizakai had to scrape the ice off the windscreen before heading to Tokyo for our lesson.

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-31391440199136614152007-11-15T13:01:00.000+11:002007-11-20T13:01:47.481+11:00

Today, I was fortunate to catch the changing autumn colours of the trees by the icy river, from the red bridge overlooking a spectacularly deep gorge of washed pebbles bleached in the meandering water. For those who read Japanese, this is the map reference My total excursion in the last light was a little 7km round trip (used GPS) down to the river on route 209 (highway) that wandered through

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-34835392627236067472007-11-12T11:49:00.000+11:002007-11-13T13:22:24.773+11:00

OK, so I realise it's not shakuhachi but it's Japanese designed and it's a musical instrument! Yesterday my tenori-on digital visual display musical instrument arrived (i.e. by courier on Sunday!).Yamaha Global (general) Yamaha Global site (hardware)Youtube demo by Toshio Iwai - inventorToshio Iwai, the Tenori-on's inventor in conjunction with Yamaha, is a world renowned Japanese designer (who

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-24305080699568263252007-11-11T09:19:00.000+11:002007-11-13T13:20:43.735+11:00

Saturdays, Kakizakai Sensei picks me up at 7.15am (ouch) and Kundan at 7.20 then we head to the Western suburbs of Tokyo to join the city contingent of shakuhachi students for lessons all morning and afternoon. For us (from Chichibu) it is also the chance to visit the metropolis. This includes visiting Tokyu Hands Creative Life Store, a kind of DIY department store with every conceivable tool,

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-41821161300634117112007-11-09T11:48:00.000+11:002007-11-13T11:49:25.219+11:00

I realise 'bushwalking' is a quintessentially Australian term for the NZ tramping or Japanese 'hiking'. Yesterday, Kundan was 'heading for the hills' and stopped by to see if I would join him. The brisk cool morning air rapidly warmed as we rode our bikes into the sunny rural area at the base of the nearby hills. We made our ascent via mossy stones, cyprus 'acorn'-carpeted track

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-49756493388557086402007-11-08T02:37:00.001+11:002007-11-08T02:37:42.819+11:00

Two months in Sydney passed very quickly and now I am back in Chichibu during autumn/winter for an AsiaLink Performing Arts Residency funded by the Australia Council for the Arts and the NSW Ministry of the Arts. The purposed of this 3 month residency is creative practice and related research, involving composition for traditional Japanese instruments (shakuhachi and koto) with contemporary

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-51215962553702972652007-10-12T23:49:00.000+10:002007-10-12T23:51:48.804+10:00

An evening of primal power and transcendental beauty that will hold you hovering between heaven and earth.In a rare collaboration, Synergy Percussion and TaikOz invoke the five elements of earth, water, fire, air and space in an inspirational concert of ancient instruments, poetry, chants and live computer processing.Featuring a diverse range of special guest artists, The Five Elements will be

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-33922020465187619422007-09-02T12:09:00.000+10:002007-09-09T17:05:05.968+10:00

Somehow I serendipitously came home from the Bisei Kenshukan Festival with a new shakuhachi! Never before have I been able to reach the hole-distance on a 2.4 shaku (approximately 75cm bamboo length, cf. 54cm 1.8). But John Kaizan Neptune's instrument he had at the festival achieved an easier, more comfortable finger position by using smaller holes nearer to the player(maybe slightly more

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-47575044670978646792007-08-27T10:22:00.000+10:002007-09-10T18:08:06.042+10:00

The full set of photos may be found on flickr in the Bisei Festival set.The Bisei festival marked the 20th anniversary of the festival of the International Shakuhachi Kenshukan (Educational institution), founded by Katsuya Yokoyama, a tradition continued this year by his students, all long-established masters themselves: Teruo Furuya, Kazushi Matama, Kuniyoshi Sugawara, Akikazu Nakamura,

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-82702503156688737042007-08-17T02:34:00.001+10:002007-08-17T12:57:05.423+10:00

On Wednesday at Kakizakai Sensei's, I met French flautist and shakuhachi player, Véronique Piron, who together with Jim Franklin organised the European Shakuhachi Festival in summer. Despite being an intensely hot day, after the lessons, we went on a small Chichibu tour guided by Megumi and Achi. This included an enormous and fascinating antique shop that had sword cases doubling as shakuhachi

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-40202816423603118812007-08-16T22:48:00.000+10:002007-08-17T11:55:28.887+10:00

This shak blog is nominally concerned with shakuhachi entries. For more about travel experiences in Japan, such as Mie prefecture, Ise Jingu, Okitama-jinga (frog shrine) at Futamigaura and Meoto-iwa (wedded rocks), or Mount Ishiwari near Fuji-san, escapades around Tokyo, and art galleries, see the sonic-yoshi travel+photography blog and photos are on Flickr.

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-8940502511244091462007-08-16T19:50:00.001+10:002007-08-19T00:40:18.556+10:00

On Saturdays I go to Tachikawa (pictured above) in the west of Tokyo and from there catch a bus for 30 more minutes to the Tabata house (Megumi's parents') for lessons with the other students from Tokyo area, whereas Wednesday lessons are in Chichibu countryside. Tachikawa is quite a transport hub and a gateway to Takao on the Chuo line and the mountainous hiking areas of the west. [pictured:

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-25761240862040560442007-08-02T22:59:00.000+10:002007-08-16T23:25:09.473+10:00

One of the attractive facets of Japanese design is the 'ki' wood. It emphasises natural features and natural beauty and weathers with humility, natural faults and knots, considered desirable. The humility of wood is appropriate to remind humans of their frailty and imperfection. Sabi (used commonly in the expression adopted recently by Western design from Japan, 'wabi sabi') referred originally

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-21893536977703527252007-08-01T01:48:00.000+10:002007-08-01T01:49:24.816+10:00

Shakuhachi lessons at Tachikawa in Tokyo suburbs and in Chichibu (Chichibu Saitama prefecture in the mountainous countryside, 2 hours west of Tokyo) are going well. Kakizakai Sensei never runs out of wisdom and new things for me to learn and it is invaluable having high-frequency lessons concentrating on single pieces per lesson. Currently I am really trying to work on the embouchure thing that

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-26895243165307387222007-06-10T12:53:00.000+10:002007-06-10T13:26:02.058+10:00

Christopher Yohmei Blasdel's 'exTemporal' recital to commemorate 35 years of shakuhachi playing was held 90/06/07 at Tsuda Hall in Tokyo. This generous hall holds maybe 400 people, filled to capacity and with very sympathetic acoustics for shakuhachi and voice. Chris' concert revolved around the theme of extemporisation/improvisation in traditional Japanese music and contemporary, explored

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-16257625030793070902007-06-09T11:44:00.000+10:002007-06-10T14:00:27.956+10:00

In the words of the sensei: "Hello shakuhachi friends!We International Shakuhachi Kenshukan are going to have an event that iscalled 'The 20th anniversary of the International Shakuhachi Kenshukanfestival in Bisei'.Date:24th 25th and 26th August 2007Place : Bisei town in Okayama Japan (It's the place where the 1st world shakuhachi festival was held.) (This includes 2 nights stays, 6 meals,

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-87081686647742099922007-06-07T09:39:00.000+10:002007-06-10T14:58:22.146+10:00

I plan to attend this concert cellebrating Chris' being in Japan now for 35 years studying and playing shakuhachi!June 9 , 2007, Tokyo A recital to commemorate Christopher Yohmei's 35 years in Japan studying shakuhachi: 'Shakuhachi exTemporal': Exploring improvisation in comtemporary and traditional shakuhachi musicChristopher Yohmei: Shakuhachi ; Sukeyasu Shiba: Ryuteki; Mika Kimula: Voice;

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-37432595610838847022007-05-28T23:04:00.000+10:002007-05-28T23:27:55.546+10:00

The Sawai International Koto School presents: Winter Koto ConcertWhen: Saturday 16th June 2007 7.30pm for 8pm startWhere: St Stephens Church Hall Church Street, Newtown Koto Performers: Catherine Brown, Dwight Dowda (and Michael Field on flute), Moko Eade, Anne Grantham, Miyama McQueen-Tokita, Shoko Ono, Mizuno Oyuki, Miko WilkinDirector: Satsuki OdamuraAdmission free, Donation at door would be

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-89156261572960048072007-05-08T22:26:00.000+10:002007-05-14T20:11:01.422+10:00

This afternoon I recorded Koku with passing buses and car horns [for the purposes of observation and subsequent reference]. It is still very rough but I am working on the flow and certain ornamentations to achieve greater simplicity. Hopefully, the sound will become more refined with practise. Yesterday, my double CD album of Yokoyama Katsuya 'Zen' arrived from Amazon. I am not sure why I have

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-69634193131175654412007-05-05T23:15:00.000+10:002007-05-06T19:26:38.465+10:00

Yesterday was a beautiful crisp autumnal yet sun-filled day for Kevin [Melville] and I to take an excursion by train to Katoomba for shakuhachi lessons with Bronwyn (my first since the arrival of her new baby and hence a chance to meet Alina). Kevin was working on Honshirabe and I was struggling with Koku. It was very fruitful in terms of refreshing and learning more about the detail of the piece

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-40460104084161647462007-04-14T16:25:00.000+10:002007-04-16T17:10:24.610+10:00

I am fortunate to be able to 'escape' for breaks to the country. My intention was to practice [shakuhachi] quite a bit but naturally the scenic surroundings also caught my attention, ranging from the prolific wood fungus growing on sawn-off pines while running in the forest to the wind farm at Blayney driving to Cowra, small country villages in drought-stricken rural NSW, the autumnal colours of

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-56084065808645586662007-04-10T16:32:00.000+10:002007-04-16T17:28:24.953+10:00

With Mum and Dad, I took a (nearly 3 hour one-way) drive through country NSW from Oberon to to Cowra Japanese Gardens. Designed by Ken Nakajima in 1971, opening 1979, the gardens commemorate the Cowra POW breakout and long association of Cowra with Japanese immigrants to Australia. Somehow this deplorable time in Australia's history has been transformed into something very beautiful. In

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-83416507085349949222007-04-09T16:33:00.000+10:002007-04-16T17:40:41.802+10:00

I recently started running again (and sometimes walking), mostly in the early mornings. This is supposed to increase my phrase-length on shakuhachi! I am very fortunate that this often takes me to some of the most picturesque locations on Sydney Harbour's northern foreshore. For the benefit of my overseas friends, I am including here some pictures from around Lavender Bay, Milsons Point and

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-58428488729951977702007-03-18T18:29:00.000+11:002007-03-18T18:55:12.796+11:00

This afternoon at Kevin's leafy suburban home with magpie and lorikeet accompaniment we had green tea, a short ro-buki practice and I played Shingetsu before we exchanged experiences and progress over lunch at sushi-ya. Shingetsu was one of the pieces we started learning at the Hawaii Shak Festival taught by Furuya, Matama and Kakizakai. It is the first piece I have studied using komibuki

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-63482404317885263402007-02-24T22:53:00.000+11:002007-02-24T23:08:42.057+11:00

Written with Sam Ferguson, our paper, Gestural Hyper Instrument Collaboration with Generative Computation for Real Time Creativity has been selected for the Creativity and Cognition Conference (Seeding Creativity: Tools, Media, and Environments) in Washington D.C. with keynote speakers Mitchell Resnick from MIT Media Lab and Thecla Schiphorst from Simon Fraser University. We are quite chuffed

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-47228333583828277152007-02-13T22:17:00.000+11:002007-02-13T22:47:48.486+11:00

Of course I finally have to try to learn Japanese language! In the holidays I spent two weeks in an intensive beginners class (Continuing Education at Sydney University) and 3 weeks ago we started level 1 following on. The virtues of non-declining verbs, 2 tenses, absence of singular and plural are just wonderful compared with the European languages I have studied previously. I guess the script

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-79256755297257635942007-02-09T08:20:00.000+11:002007-02-09T09:22:11.534+11:00

Youkobo Art Space is located in metropolitan Tokyo, 15km west from the city centre, near to Kichijoji Station. It consists of a gallery space, 2 studios and 2 apartments, one each Japanese and Western style equipped with heating, appliances, cooking utensils, LAN Internet access, a bicycle, etc. The co-directors are Hiroko (sculptor) and Tatsuhiko Murata who have welcomed over 70 artists of 15

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-63736185500120135582007-02-05T09:10:00.000+11:002007-02-06T08:26:41.126+11:00

Geoff Wood will broadcast a documentary in his Encounter series on ABC Radio National (Australia) featuring the background and music of the komuso monk. Inspired by his visit to Myoanji Fukuji Temple of Light and Darkness in Kyoto, where the remaining monks in the tradition of the mendicant Fuke sect remain, Wood visited guided by Kyoto shakuhachi master, Kurahashi sensei. The radio program will

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-43132576943301601782007-02-05T09:00:00.000+11:002007-02-05T09:04:54.792+11:00

Congratulations to Bronwyn and Gary for the birth of Alina Grace on 21 January at home. Alina commenced pre-natal shakuhachi listening practice months ago.

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-62960549288519683202007-01-18T10:20:00.000+11:002007-02-04T11:52:04.708+11:00

Last night, Judith and I went to see Kaidan, a Ghost Story, performed by Taikoz, Riley Lee with Meryl Tankard's contemporary dance direction, at Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre. The advertising photos do not do justice to the complex blend of rear projection, front projection on translucent curtains, integrated Taikoz players on stage mingling themselves and their instruments amongst wispy

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-14338966707321309002006-12-14T15:58:00.000+11:002006-12-14T16:05:21.603+11:00

David introduced me to one of his favourite bushwalks that is conveniently located very close to home on Middle Harbour, ranging from the hilltop with Eucalypts, numerous wildflowers and lizards to the shoreline, rimmed with oysters, perch swimming in the shallow waters, mangroves, stingrays, sandstone ledges overhanging the gentle lapping of waves and the rushing sound of wind through the

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-73889450299944912692006-12-13T20:57:00.000+11:002006-12-14T15:20:53.322+11:00

[It doesn't rain ... it pours]. I received news that my Asialink Performing Arts Residency application was successful, to spend 3 months in Asia. I applied to do composition and interaction design at the Future University in Hakadote, Sapporo Island of Japan. [It looks like there may be some change to the host institution arrangement so I may take it up in Tokyo and Chichibu, with the possibility

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-88120130384026696972006-12-11T23:17:00.000+11:002006-12-14T08:47:11.911+11:00

This evening, Kevin [Man] gave his first recital in the Master's Degree on shakuhachi at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Kevin is paving the way as the first shakuhachi major at SCM with teacher, Riley Lee. He performed a folksong arrangement for solo shakuhachi, Rokudan, E-mu and San'ya, the latter on his new 2.4 shakuhachi in the reverberant small recital hall underground at Macquarie

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-60044584838386210792006-12-04T23:31:00.000+11:002006-12-14T08:45:34.879+11:00

Today, I learned that my application for a Matsumae International Foundation research fellowship was successful. I applied to spend 3 months hosted by Professor Hori at Tokyo University's Artificial intelligence Lab in 2007. The lab is 2 stops from Shibuya on the subway. This will take place over summer (mid-year). Apart from developing my generative responsive environment for gestural

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-22974375343188657142006-12-01T00:23:00.000+11:002006-12-14T09:10:45.330+11:00

Sound of Japan: An evening of Shakuhachi and KotoBronwyn Kirkpatrick + Miyama McQueen-Tokita + Shoko Ono Friday 1st December 2006, 8.00pm The Old Darlington School, The University of Sydney The programme included contemporary compositions: Shikyoku ichi ban (Poeme 1) by Taezo Matsumura (1969); E-mu (Picture Dream) by Hideaki Kuribayashi (1976); Dosei (Voices of the Earth) by Hikaru Sawai (

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-72733141231189815962006-11-28T08:07:00.000+11:002006-11-28T08:39:29.972+11:00

[I have moved the shak-blog from dot-mac to this blogspot due to persistent software glitches using iWeb and tedium of unreliable wysiwyg code editing environments]. Other aspects of travelblog, travel photo-libraries and podcasting remain @ Kirsty Beilharz dot-mac web site (podcasts, travel) but the shakuhachi blog future's here for a while ... Photos ranging from shakuhachi, shakuhachi camps,

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-35476741975001845092006-11-24T00:19:00.000+11:002006-12-14T09:11:33.928+11:00

When it comes forth according to intention, or perhaps boldly and mellow with ‘no mind’, my new Miura flute is sounding very beautiful. I have been revising Honshirabe, adapting San’ya [Mountain Valley] and learning Shingetsu, and I have peeked at Koku which has much in common with Shingetsu and San’ya [Mountain Valley]. These are all fairly patient, round, slow pieces that require consideration

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-43544936495616843892006-11-16T00:15:00.000+11:002006-11-28T08:35:12.397+11:00

Miura 2.1 shakuhachi Kakizakai had my new 2.1 shakuhachi flute made by Miura Ryuho brought over to Hawaii Shak Festival. Today I started settling into the new finger position and stretch, blowing ro and looking through Shingetsu, which we started learning at Hawaii Shakuhachi Festival under instruction from Furuya Sensei. The instrument is made from a very beautiful, blotched piece of hard

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-70187674793743746632006-11-09T00:09:00.000+11:002006-12-14T09:08:03.552+11:00

Hawaii University Music Department 9-12 November, Honolulu. Teachers Riley Lee, Stan Richardson, Chris Blasdel and the three Japanese Masters - Furuya, Matama and Kakizakai. With Megumi-san and Kimura on koto. This involved approximately 10 intensive tuition sessions in groups on select repertoire, private lessons and a students' concert and teachers' concert. Some of the repertoire pieces for

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-29758657649760195512006-09-30T00:07:00.000+10:002007-02-09T09:34:18.651+11:00

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.

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-92048973863047657502006-09-24T00:04:00.000+10:002007-02-09T09:33:53.262+11:00

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.

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-4332299582524010292006-09-01T23:57:00.000+10:002006-12-14T09:13:09.420+11:00

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

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-33636192320358579372006-08-23T23:50:00.000+10:002006-12-14T09:14:33.642+11:00

Today I attended the first of my Japanese calligraphy classes at WEA, 5.30pm Wednesday afternoons. Our teacher is Michiko Honda and I joined after learning of the class from Kevin. She knows Riley Lee and Ben Dixon - what a small world.It was very interesting to be shown the techniques, both by demonstration of the correct stroke style and order and by Michiko individually guiding our hands and

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-46815591868734944262006-08-20T23:46:00.000+10:002007-02-09T09:33:16.102+11:00

Today, my friends Kevin Melville and Bev came over for ro-buki practice. We had not all practised to a level of confidence between times but it was nice to develop a sense of community. We watched some travel slides, drank genmaicha and ate sembae and rice crackers, etc. from Tokyo Mart at Northbridge. I played Hifumi Hachigaeshi - it was good practice to play with an audience, though still never

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-15883461072451487092006-08-18T23:43:00.000+10:002007-02-09T09:32:53.974+11:00

Angel Place - shakuhachi, shamisen and tabla - contemporary multi-cultural fusion concert.The shakuhachi player had very curious double jointed fingers that appeared very tense for playing and an embouchure that enveloped the end of the flute so that Judith thought he was eating it. The primary shamisen player was quite indulgant-looking, rather absorbed and euphoric in his endeavours but his son

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-51913936428090577312006-08-17T23:41:00.000+10:002007-02-09T09:23:47.295+11:00

The Music of Toru Takemitsu by Peter Burt arrived from Amazon. In particular, the chapter “into the reflection of an Eastern mirror” considers his approach to November Steps for shakuhachi, biwa and orchestra and Autumn for the same combination a couple of years later. I will be looking at the ways in which Takemitsu tried to integrate Western instruments and an inherent tonality and techniques

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-85852665053771879892006-08-17T23:36:00.000+10:002007-02-09T09:32:32.413+11:00

Breath control. Intonation fine. Breath control achieved by constant diaphragm pressure will produce higher register and stability of tone and note decay without fragmentation/splitting sound. Practise leaf-decays in ro-buki and longer breaths. Breathe deeply. Initial ornaments beginning phrases should still be more rapid, make sure tsuri glissandi go high enough audibly. At the climax mura-iki

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-51739652632689330942006-08-13T23:32:00.000+10:002007-02-09T09:32:03.555+11:00

Mejiro sells VHS taped explanations of main honkyoku in several volumes, each unfolding the techniques and expression behind two pieces. Played by Yokoyama (Living National Treasure & teacher of Kakizakai, Furuya, Riley Lee, etc.). Considering the technology, the tapes sound very good and reach back to an era that we cannot otherwise access. The two I bought include Hifumi Hachigaeshi/Shingetsu

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-8663645121429158532006-08-11T23:30:00.000+10:002007-02-09T09:31:32.793+11:00

E-bay victory! Japanese kabuki character playing shakuhachi print 24”

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-77444052988372866332006-08-07T23:20:00.000+10:002006-11-26T23:41:14.983+11:00

The exciting arrival of my new shakuhachi made by Ryuho Miura. Kaoru Kakizakai Sensei’s son, Haruka, brought it over to Sydney with him, freshly finished the previous Friday. Haruka is here for a 10-day exchange in Waringah. I commissioned the flute when I was Japan and Miura made it really fast (for him). I am looking forward to practising to harness its big warm sound. Immediately I notice an

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-43030872541346804372006-06-30T23:17:00.000+10:002007-02-09T09:31:05.944+11:00

Hand-made hanko traditional arts stamp: it means “bamboo song blowing Zen [suizen]” from a tiny little workshop under Shibuya station.

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-49621011723836826192006-06-22T23:11:00.000+10:002007-02-09T09:30:45.071+11:00

Photos are now online at dot-mac photo libraryRockies, Loveland, Colorado - Shakuhachi Summer Camp with Faculty of David Wheeler, Riley Lee, Kaoru Kakizakai, Christopher Yohmei Basdel. 5,000 feet +After the 10 hour flights from Tokyo, LAX seemed brusque, bustling, smoggy and bombastic, thence 2 hours more to Denver. Bill Fletcher, John-Paul Sicotte and I shared a rental car to Sunrise Ranch,

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-38658107268387893082006-06-16T23:05:00.000+10:002007-02-09T09:30:17.534+11:00

Lessons in Chichibu and Tokyo. 16 June - 10 July with break in the middle for Shak Camp, USA. You can read detail about this under my dot-mac travel blog

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1907038529052023472.post-59887514810861971342006-05-31T22:49:00.000+10:002007-02-09T09:29:46.675+11:00

Explaining the generative a-Life, biologically inspired and Granular Synthesis processes configured by gestural interaction captured using web-cam [computer vision] and audio input [looming, loudness, roughness/noisiness] with Sam. Sam helped program the transformations of Neural Oscillator Network (NOSC) and GS grain density, size and distribution transformed by breathiness in the auditory

Kirsty Beilharzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939621018850825379noreply@blogger.com