On the 19th October 2022, Japan Research Centre, at SOAS, University of London together with the Music Department organised a Book Launch for the Festschrift of David Hughes. We had a great time with music, speeches etc.

The Opera “Blown Off Course” is live streamed for the last time tonight Saturday 14 January 2023 at 19:30 Portugese time/20:30 CET. The link is:

https://www.misomusic.me/concertslist/121314012023

I will be playing in a new opera that is exploring the relationships between Portugal and Japan through language, music and food. It will be performed at the very interesting venue ‘O’culto da Ajuda’ in Lisbon, Portugal. Performances will take place 12th, 13th and 14th January 2023. Check the link above for more info – also on Miso Music, which is a very interesting musical project in Lisboa!

Poem by Hafez

On the 15th December, SONAS MUTUA, which is a duo I have with Mexican composer/performer Marisol Jimenez performed a concert. We had a great time.

Thank you to all who joined the shakuhachi community during the 12 hour online meeting and to those who participated in the 2 x 108 ROBUKI FOR WORLD PEACE!

Photo: Vivian Plesner & Lilian Andresen

Never have I played in a town with such an appropriate name for a shakuhachi concert: ROOslepa! And it feels like Paradise on earth right now. I have been swimming in the Baltic Sea and in a lake… and now concert in a wonderful church. I might begin with a few ROO….!

I have published another shakuhachi interview. This time it is with shakuhachi performer, teacher and head of Chikumeisha, Mizuno Kohmei. These interviews are meant as a channel through which players can tell their stories and share their knowledge of the shakuhachi, its history, and much more. The shakuhachi world is very complex and there are many myths surrounding this instrument. I am hoping to add to the pool of knowledge about the shakuhachi to the vast and diverse non-Japanese group of shakuhachi aficionados around the world. I learn a lot through these interviews myself. Mizuno sensei talks about his own shakuhachi background, how he managed to have a job and still play shakuhachi at a high level. He also speaks about the creation of the Chikumeisha group and also the challenges the group faced after the death of Yamaguchi Goro, and how they moved on. I hope you will enjoy it!