Hello Shakuhachi enthusiasts from all around Europe and beyond.
We welcome you to the European Shakuhachi Society Summer School in Barcelona 25th to 28th July 2013.
Organized by:
Supported by:
The European Shakuhachi Society through the Spanish Shakuhachi group has already been working for many months to make this event possible and we have great news for you all.
The dates:
We will be starting on Thursday July 25th at 9am and will go on until Sunday July 28th at around 6pm. So, our suggestion is for you to arrive on Wednesday 24th and leave either on Sunday night or on Monday.
The activities:
We are still making the final touches to the schedule but we can already say that there are going to be groups for 3 different kinds of honkyoku (KSK, Kinko-ryu and Zensabo), sankyoku, an introductory shakuhachi making class as well as a 2 day shakuhachi making masterclass for those with experience in making shakuhachi, improvisation on min’yo, shinkyoku, contemporary music, basic techniques, sound improvement workshops, the body in the playing and much more.
Koto and shamisen participants will be having small groups teaching both in koto solo pieces and pieces together with shakuhachi and shamisen (sankyoku) having also the opportunity of playing in ensemble. We are trying to organize some individual lessons, should the numbers of this participants allow it.
Besides the courses, there will be talks, round table discussions, concerts (including 2 main concerts by the teachers) and also time to socialize. You are welcome to bring your cd´s, flutes and books to sell and exchange.
The concerts:
4 days, 4 concerts.
We will have 2 concerts by the teachers in which we expect to cover all the wide range of styles represented at the event and new pieces will also be premiered. These concerts will be held at a prestigious concert hall and we are expecting many people from outside the event to attend. There will also be an ”Open Mic Night” at which anyone is welcome to play and share their music and finally the event will end with a ‘Students concert’ on Sunday..
The teachers:
Kaoru Kakizakai will be coming from Japan to share with us his knowledge of the honkyoku transmitted to him by the great Yokoyama Katsuya (Kokusai Shakuhachi Kenshukan) and more; John Kaizan Neptune, the reputed shakuhachi jinashi maker, will also be coming from Japan (a really rare and great occasion for all interested in shakuhachi making); from Sweden we will have Gunnar Jinmei Linder who will be teaching both sankyoku and Kinko-ryu honkyoku; from France Veronique Piron will share with us her contemporary music work, shinkyoku music and improvisation in a min’yo context. Kiku Day from Denmark/UK will be sharing contemporary music views and Zensabo honkyoku as learnt from Okuda Atsuya. Jim Franklin will be teaching Chikuho Honkyoku.
And the shamisen and koto are not going to be missing the party. Fumie Hihara, the koto/shamisen player coming from Japan/France will be teaching koto and shamisen and will also take part in the sankyoku classes together with the koto player Yoshie Sakai from Madrid who will be teaching koto as well. We may even have a couple of surprises regarding teachers.
For those of you who have never put a finger on a shakuhachi, we are preparing a great workshop for you and will even lend you instruments if do not have your own.
The accommodation:
In the vicinity of the venue there are several hotels to meet a range of budgets. (See ‘accommodation’ on the main menu). Book your accommodation early – you will have to do this for yourself (consider that July in Barcelona is peak season). See the list of possible accommodations that we have summarized for you and notice that with some of them we have made agreements in order for you to get discounts.
The organization team:
A great team has been working for many months already. Lead by Horacio Curti and assisted by Ramon Humet, Stella Maris “Hawwa” Morales, José Vargas, Jim Franklin and Michael Soumei Coxall.
The registration:
This will be run by the main host institution (ESMUC) and registration details will soon be available, but remember to book early! This is especially important for those wishing to take the “shakuhachi making workshops” which will be small groups.
The cost issue:
We are very well aware of the present financial difficulties and are working hard trying to make the registration fee as low as possible. There is going to be a regular price and a discount for ESS members. We are also trying to make possible a special discount for early registrations. A small extra fee will be required for the “shakuhachi making workshops” to cover the cost of materials (besides the bamboo).
The location:
A great place inside the city of Barcelona, 20 minutes walk to the beach and 2 metro stations from “Plaza Catalunya”, the actual centre of the city and the place where you get off the bus from the airport. The metro station is Marina on the L1 line.
The venue:
We couldn´t have hoped for a better venue as, the event is going to be held in 3 connected buildings which are the homes of 3 institutions; the “Music Museum of Barcelona”, “L´Auditori” of Barcelona, the “Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya” (ESMUC). The ESMUC is one of the few official institutions in Spain that awards bachelor degrees for musicians and shares its great building with the Barcelona Music Museum and “L´Auditori” which is one of the 3 main concerts halls in Barcelona.
ESMUC
L´Auditori
Museo de Música
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions (barcelona2013@shakuhachi.es). We very much hope to see you in Barcelona in July 2013.