Extract of the Master Techniques for Shakuhachi: Japanese Bamboo Flute

The extremely important core of music or even of our life is; expansion for freedom. Freedom to play music without chain or any restriction. In order to be free we need to open our mind and body. However it is easy to say but, it is difficult to do. Then how to open up our whole body depends on how steadly and concretely start and keep going forward to reach our goal step by step. That is about this book from my 50 years experience. We start from basic breathing, simple posture and gradually we check each part of the body some are visible (we say outer-muscles), some are difficult to see or touch (inner muscles) including organs like throat, inside mouth, diaphragm, and back-muscles. In order to check our whole body since we have around six hundred muscles (it is plenty), so we need to do gradually herefore, you could open and read this book wherever you feel comfortable (you don’t have to start reading from first page; just open the book and enjoy that page. And when you feel start reading from the first page, then that is the time to organize your idea of managing the whole body. But don’t force yourself because it is good to maintain the free-attitude for anything. Music Institute of America The Japanese Music Institute of America (JMI) was founded by Masayuki Koga in 1981 to introduce the highest quality of Japanese Classical music for Shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) to the U.S. Since then, JMI has fostered the appreciation and study of traditional Japanese music. Each year JMI receives far more requests than it can possibly accommodate for low or non-fee supported performances from a variety of Japanese social, religious and cultural organizations. Generally, these requests fall into the category of: 1) Japanese seasonal celebrations, e.g. summer “obon,” spring “cherry blossom”; 2) Buddhist/Shinto shrine anniversaries; 3) lecture/demonstrations, e.g. Stanford University and New York University in Eastcoast; and, 4) public festivals. Yearly audiences for the performances we are able to provide ranges from 2,500 to 6,000. The venues range from ain View’s Japanese Community Center to the San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival to Placerville’s Buddhist Church east of Sacramento. Occasionally, as resources allow, other noted master musicians from Japan are invited and presented to the public at important locations ranging from Stanford University to the San Francisco Asian Art Museum. Locations of shakuhachi lessons: We have regular classes and rehearsals at Pine United Methodist Church in San Francisco ( 33rd Ave, S.F.) by Msayuki Koga. Also, at East Bay Center for Performing Arts in Richmond (339 11th St.) by Assistant instructor/ Jordan Simmons, in San Francisco by Assist. Instructors/ Alan Johnson and by/ Peter Frentzel as well. In Cupertino by / Masaru Koga. In Piedmont by / Tim Hamano, and at the Tayu Meditation Center in Sebastopol by Assist. Instructor/ Stuart Goodnick. For further information, contact: mkoga@sbcglonal.net

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