Sound of Antiquity

The idea person of the project is Eva Fock (https://earswideopen.dk). It has made me play on bone and stone flutes and flutes made with various plants. Eva and Ingeborg make workshops with the children making instruments of natural materials that would almost also have existed in antiquity. 3 musicians, Ying-Hsueh Chen and Anders Børup and myself, come in and work a little with the children and make a walking sound concert together with the children.

A sun dog

The phenomenon is also called a mock sun or a parhelion in meteorology. It is an atmospheric optical phenomenon that consists of a bright spot to the sides of the Sun. Photo taken from the garden on Friday the 8th of September 2023.

Pre-conference stay in Accra Ghana

I am in Accra, Ghana for the ICTM (International Council for Traditional Music – a name that will change soon) World Conference. But I came here a week before to give workshops and do some shakuhachi playing. I had a blast doing a presentation on the shakuhachi, concert and a hands-on workshop for antenteben flute students at the Music Department at the University of Ghana Legon. What joy to share what you love the most! ♥︎ The students then also performed for me on antenteben! What a great time!

URTID – Lyden af Oldtiden

On the 12th and 15th of June Anders Børup, Ying-Hsueh Chen and myself performed URTID, a sound walk concert by Laurits Jongejan. The idea person behind it all is Eva Fock. She and Ingeborg Okkels made instruments with a school class with materials that for most part would have existed in antiquity. They made shakers of bones and shells; simple pan flute made with branches of elder trees; and bullroarers made from wood (we had some in bones as well). Then the children joined us musicians in the sound walk. It was amazing to imagine how it might have sounded in the Stone Age. Probably very different….
I love working with these natural materials. They will certainly creep into my other projects! Thank you, Eva!


Sōgenji, Assendorf Zen sesshin and shakuhachi

A few weeks ago I taught shakuhachi within the setting of a Zen Buddhist sesshin or retreat. It was held at Sogenji in Assendorf, Germany. It was a very interesting experience. It was not that simple to combine and very much hard work. I really appreciate the experience and also the people who participated – both in the shakuhachi part or the samu part. It gives me food for thought and I will adjust it when I will do something similar in Finland 12-13 August at Sanneji.