Japan Sound Portrait Podcast 38

Japan Sound Portrait

We are delighted to interview Kiku Day, (http://www.kikuday.com/) one of the organisers of the World Shakuhachi Festival, which is taking place this week in London. Following discussion of the festival, Kiku-san gives some in-depth background about the history of the instrument, and discloses elements of the experience of playing the instrument, whereby the techniques of breathing and improvisation can make for a transformative meditation. -------------------------------------- More information about the World Shakuhachi Festival 2018 in London.

As you can read on the website www.wsf2018.com it is the 7th time a WSF is held. It is the first time in Europe.

Dates and times:

30.07: There will be an academic conference just on the subject of the shakuhachi. Scholars from various fields such as ethnomusicology, Japanology, history, sociology, art history, science of acoustics will present their research.

31.07, 20:00: Opening Gala Concert mix programme - Union Chapel

1 - 4 August at Goldsmiths, University of London (either in Deptford Town Hall or Great Hall) 2 concerts at 13:00, 1 concert at 17:00 and 20:00. All mixed programmes.

More information on each concert on the website.

There are also lectures on shakuhachi and japanese music in general that are open for the general public at 13:00 and 17:00.

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Featured music:

- Vintertraner is a piece called Night Flying Winter Cranes composed for Kiku Day by Danish composer Mogens Christensen. Shakuhachi and electronics. - Tamuke is played by Kiku Day's teacher Okuda Atsuya, who is coming to London. This is a honkyoku (pieces played by komuso monks during the Edo period)

You can read about Okuda here: http://wsf2018.com/people/okuda-atsuya - Shizuka ni naru toki is played by Tanabe Shozan (who is coming to London) You can read about him here: http://wsf2018.com/people/tanabe-shozan - Three Treasures: Columns and Webs III (1996) for shakuhachi with live electronics, 4 kotos, and percussion (studio recording, all instruments: Jim Franklin, a co-organiser of the festival)