Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Funny thing is that I just wrote about my lessons with Michael over at my blog ( http://gaijinkomuso.blogspot.com ) To save anyone the time of leaving here to go read it I will just post it here.

Begin blog post:
How was your lesson tonight?
How was your lesson tonight? A question my wife asked me the other night. I answered "Great!" What made my lesson great? I started the lesson as many of you may have started a lesson a million times. I started off slightly frustrated with difficulties some of the pieces I have been working on were giving me and not necessarily feeling up to a lesson. As I have talked about on here many times my teacher is Michael "Chikuzen" Gould.

When I started my lesson I think Chikuzen could tell where my head was and did a great job of helping me work out the issues and break down my current piece in a way that was extremely helpful. Before I knew it I was being drawn excitedly into the piece I was working on and the frustration disolved into motivation. I think this is why it is critical to have a great teacher. I have worked with teachers in the past who seemed to be unaware of these things and only cultivated more frustration to the point where I was so discouraged that I no longer would work on a piece. Having had those kind of experiences in the past makes me even more appreciative of a great teacher like Chikuzen. He has helped me over "bumps" in my playing many times and after almost a year of near weekly lessons with him I cannot express how happy I am with the progress I have acheived. I am making this post to not only express how important I feel a great teacher is but to help those lost in the shakuhachi darkness to find the light so to speak.

If you are looking for a way to learn and don't live near a teacher or you are feeling frustrated with your current teacher you may want to contact Chikuzen for a skype lesson or an in person lesson if you are lucky enough to live close to him. I have been taking skype lesson with him from where I live in Florida and I have taken lessons with him in person at Ro camps and I can honestly say that the skype lessons are as good as the live lessons and just as beneficial. If you don't believe me you should try it. You won't be disappointed.

Sorry if this seems like a blatant "plug" but when you appreciate someone as much as I appreciate Chikuzen you want to let others know so they can benefit also.

End Blog Post

As you can see I am very happy with the time Michael has spent with me and the great strides he has helped me with over nearly the last year.  If you have ever thought about a lesson on skype or just getting any lessons at all, I recommend Michael Chikuzen Gould.  If you haven't thought of getting lessons and you want to make more progress and faster you should really start considering it more.  You won't be sorry and in the end, neither will your playing

Thanks,
Brian

edited for spelling

Last edited by BrianP (2009-04-30 07:51:17)

With such praise of Michael I'm tempted to sign up for lessons with him too...but, oh yeah, I do a have a local teacher already! 

Sometimes I think beginners are a real challenge for a teacher.  Given their high skill level, I wonder if its a bit of a drag for pro shakuhachi players to listen to the struggles of a newbie and to think of ways to help the beginner build skills and find appropriate materials for their level.

I wonder if some teachers are better with beginners than others, and, if so, how would we newcomers to the shakuhachi know who those particular teachers would be?  Just trial and error....or...?


Please understand that these are just my musings and are written with all due respect to shakuhachi teachers in general and my own teacher in particular.

I just had my first skype lesson with Michael this morning.  I was incredibly impressed with his teaching skills and his style of presentation.

What a great era we live in to be able to access so much more knowledge and instruction because of technology!

This month, the Chikuzen Fan Club will be meeting (via Skype, of course) at my house here in SLC.

Everyone is asked to please bring Hot Dish.

Beverages will be supplied...

Last edited by edosan (2009-12-02 13:21:54)

I'll be there.  I've got a line on a great pumpkin tamale recipe I would like to try.

BrianP wrote:

I will be there!  Do you like veal?

Veal Saltimbocca alla Romana, please?

edosan wrote:

BrianP wrote:

I will be there!  Do you like veal?

Veal Saltimbocca alla Romana, please?

One of my faves, fax me some!

Your making me hungry Chris.  Look at how juicy that calf looks! 

Please, beware.   I believe Brian P. does not eat veal yet he is a vampire and sucks young calf's blood thru a bamboo straw. 

If we aren't supposed to eat animals (young or old), why are they made of meat?  A question to ponder through the ages.

Last edited by lowonthetotem (2009-12-03 13:41:02)

BrianP wrote:

And mushrooms, who has it worse then mushrooms?!

Right. I can relate. Fed on shit and kept in the dark all the time.

I have also heard that potatoes scream when they're pulled out of the ground.

TCB wrote:

Just a quick question here. Can I assume that he takes very very beginner?

YES