The repertoire of shakuhachi with koto and shamisen is not what I have been trained in. So I was a bit nervous. But it all went really well and we played all over Denmark!

I had a great time playing with Ying-Hsueh Chen, Anne Eisensee, Letty Stott with lots of materials provided by Eva Fock who did a wonderful workshop after the concert as well. Love my bone flutes. I am getting more familiar with them and I think myself they sound better and better.

I was interviewed by Nick Kemp, who has devoted his life to ikigai – after he had read my paper on shakuhachi and meditation.
I speak about what shakuhachi is for me and how it is my ikigai source.

https://ikigaitribe.com/podcasts/podcast53/

The event was a great success. We had almost as many participants as during a live event. Now we can’t wait till seeing everyone in person in DUBLIN FOR REAL ! ! ! 20-23 July 2023. I translated for Seian Genshin, the 42nd kansu of Myōan-ji. He taught Choshi and Koku in Fuke Myōan style. I also translated fro Tsujimoto Yoshimi, who taught us some popular songs. Adrian Freedman and Marco Lienhard’s teaching was great too!

Zensabo Ukraine had a little get-together with Okuda sensei. Everyone played for each other (I was just the facilitator). We also got to listen a lot to Okuda sensei. Shakuhachi and music connect us heart to heart – even during difficult times

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