Dear Shakuhachi Enthusiasts,
The dates for this year’s meet-ups are:
17 March
28 April
9 June (Basics)
21 July
1 Sept
13 Oct (Basics)
24 Nov
Each session will have a $10 participation fee. This fee will go towards making token payments to our guest tutors who so generously offer their time and expertise. We’re offering a season pass to all 8 sessions for $55.
As you may have noticed there are sessions which are labelled as ‘Basics’ sessions. In these sessions we will cover the fundamentals of shakuhachi playing. We aim to make beginners feel welcome and supported in their journey with shakuhachi. More experienced players are encouraged to come along too. There can never be too many hours devoted to good sound production! Together we’ll help beginners with breathing, posture, embouchure, meri/kari, grip, fingering positions, types of sound, timing, notation, and solid sound production. The goal of these sessions is to create a friendly atmosphere and help beginner players create a practice program.
These sessions are a great chance to meet fellow local shakuhachi players and are a great chance to socialise over a coffee. During the sessions there may be some material handed out for later sessions, but during the ‘Basics’ sessions there will be concentration on the techniques and fundamentals mentioned above.
Also if you would like to bring along a friend who doesn’t own a flute we are happy to lend one out for the session. Please note that newcomers and beginners are more than welcome to come to any of the sessions and should not feel obliged to come to the ‘basics’ session dates. The fee for newcomers will be waived.
Hope you all had a nice break and hope to see you soon at the group sessions!
With goldfish through summer rain,
The Australian Shakuhachi Society.
Hi Guys, A dear friend has recommended I come along to your meeting today at the Yuga Cafe in Glebe. I have always wanted to come and join one of your meetings, but felt a little shy about it. Today I going to get past that and come and join you! I have a beautiful Shakuhachi my husband bought me for my birthday last October. It’s a new flute made by Perry Yung of Yung Flutes USA. I wanted to learn to play in the hope that it may help with my asthma and feelings of anxiety. I can’t play a note, so I’m an absolute beginner.
I look forward to joining you today.
Kind regards,
Tracy Kinchington – O’Hearn