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#1 2007-11-23 08:02:01

marek
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From: Czech Republic
Registered: 2007-03-02
Posts: 189
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World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

Hello,

I have seen World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest Finals on the schedule Sydney festival, yet could not find anything more about the competition anywhere on the web. Could someone enlighten me with more info?

Cheers,

Marek


In passionate silence, the sound is what I'm after.

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#2 2007-11-23 08:18:58

Tairaku 太楽
Administrator/Performer
From: Tasmania
Registered: 2005-10-07
Posts: 3226
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Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

marek wrote:

Hello,

I have seen World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest Finals on the schedule Sydney festival, yet could not find anything more about the competition anywhere on the web. Could someone enlighten me with more info?

Cheers,

Marek

Actually I saw Riley Lee today and he mentioned this. He will be making an announcement about it in the next few weeks. It will be a contest for "young" performers (40 years and younger). LOL. In rock music 40 years is a bit old. Anyway I digress. There will be awards fitting the performance. Stay tuned.


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#3 2007-11-23 09:01:43

amokrun
Member
From: Finland
Registered: 2006-08-08
Posts: 413

Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

Tairaku wrote:

It will be a contest for "young" performers (40 years and younger). LOL. In rock music 40 years is a bit old. Anyway I digress.

Eh, this means that in 17 years I'll still qualify as a "young" performer. I think with most stuff you see categories like under 10 and maybe under 20. On the other hand, those who started playing when they were under 10 have a good chance to slaughter everyone else. Not that I think playing skill has anything to do with age but having over thirty years of experience in a contest for "young" people feels a bit like using so much doping that your eyes are about to pop out.

Anyhow, interesting to see how it turns out. I hope we get some coverage on this here on the forum.

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#4 2007-11-23 09:48:42

marek
Member
From: Czech Republic
Registered: 2007-03-02
Posts: 189
Website

Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

Thanks Tairaku.

With such an allowance it will undoubtedly be a grand competition. However, I wonder whether it will not deter those who are really young... Lets wait n see.

Regards,

Marek


In passionate silence, the sound is what I'm after.

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#5 2007-11-23 10:17:33

amokrun
Member
From: Finland
Registered: 2006-08-08
Posts: 413

Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

marek wrote:

However, I wonder whether it will not deter those who are really young... Lets wait n see.

I guess it depends on how serious it is. If we are talking about something that people enter just for fun to be able to play with others I don't see a problem. If, however, someone wanted to take it seriously the age issue could be a big deal. Say, if I keep at it, by the time I'm 40 I'll have roughly 20 years of playing behind me. It's hard for someone who is only 20 or so at the time of the competition to match that. 20 years of playing could very well mean a decent professional career already.

Then again, there may not be a fair way to do it. If you drop the age limit to something like 20 you almost certainly make it impossible for western players to enter because people typically won't find shakuhachi here before they are well past 20 whereas someone could theoretically start playing in Japan in very young age. Picking any other hard age limit has the same problem. Either it's so high that almost anyone can enter or it's so low that most people can't do it. If you tried to limit it by training years rather than age you'd run into the problem where you need to figure out when everyone started. It would also get tricky when people tell you that they started ten years ago but then didn't play for five.

As for myself... my solution is simple. I keep on competing with myself. Toughest opponent I can imagine and you can't even resort to swords if things aren't going your way.

Anyhow, good luck to everyone who takes part. Again, I'm hoping that the results and such get posted here as well.

ps.

Someone should come up with a shakuhachi equivalent of the old Tsugaru-jamisen style of two people playing against each other taking turns until one person runs out of new things to show. As little as I care for competition, I'd go for that in a heartbeat.

Last edited by amokrun (2007-11-23 10:18:09)

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#6 2007-11-23 10:49:17

Moran from Planet X
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From: Here to There
Registered: 2005-10-11
Posts: 1524
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Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

amokrun wrote:

Someone should come up with a shakuhachi equivalent of the old Tsugaru-jamisen style of two people playing against each other taking turns until one person runs out of new things to show. As little as I care for competition, I'd go for that in a heartbeat.

This does sound like fun, but musical competitions have always seemed to be won by those can produce the flashiest licks and the most intense, orgasmic flourishes and finishes to their compositions. It gets boring.

Irish Traditional Music got so obsessive about contests that playing in urban sessions became a big drag of who could play faster and flashier and what obscure Eb tunes one could play to filter out beginners. Kind of lost that community of musicians feel.

Blues jams usually end in a sweat fest of who can play the most jam-packed orgasmic solos.

Whatever happened to listening to others, understatement, spaces between the notes and Ma?

Another cranky post from yours truly. --cm


"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I am all out of bubblegum." —Rowdy Piper, They Live!

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#7 2007-11-23 11:28:48

amokrun
Member
From: Finland
Registered: 2006-08-08
Posts: 413

Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

Chris Moran wrote:

This does sound like fun, but musical competitions have always seemed to be won by those can produce the flashiest licks and the most intense, orgasmic flourishes and finishes to their compositions. It gets boring.

Yeah, I suppose that would happen. The moment I started to think about someone blowing a long, deep Ro to impress the people I saw the guy next to him banging away with a San-no-U - Ichi-San-no-U trill as fast as he can. Besides, it wouldn't be fun to watch unless you were a player yourself and knew what was going on. I find that I enjoy many subtle changes in the tone much more now that I know where to look.

Chris Moran wrote:

Whatever happened to listening to others, understatement, spaces between the notes and Ma?

I think something like this would work best between two players who know each other well, say, student and a teacher or two students who often study together. In such case it might be possible to keep the meditative feel and really listen to the other player instead of just trying to blow louder than he does. Say, one person starts to play a piece he just made up and after a while the other player continues. The goal is to keep the piece together so that it sounds like a complete work rather than just a bunch of phrases thrown together. The players could agree on a common theme for the piece and try to fit the music to it. Taking ocean as an example, the first player could go for slow and deep playing that imitates the waves whereas the other guy could move from the gentle waves to a full-blown storm. At the end both players bow to each other as there are only winners in this game.

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#8 2007-11-23 14:55:25

Tairaku 太楽
Administrator/Performer
From: Tasmania
Registered: 2005-10-07
Posts: 3226
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Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

marek wrote:

Thanks Tairaku.

With such an allowance it will undoubtedly be a grand competition. However, I wonder whether it will not deter those who are really young... Lets wait n see.

Regards,

Marek

Good thing we are playing Japanese music because we are all young again. One of the things we discussed is how in the West most of us come to the instrument at a relatively advanced age compared to in Japan. Riley has some ideas about that as well. He did not mention how the competition will be judged. I encourage you to wait for his announcement and then participate in the competition. Whether you win or not the practice and work of it will be helpful for anyone's playing.


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#9 2007-11-25 03:39:48

Zakarius
Member
From: Taichung, TAIWAN
Registered: 2006-04-12
Posts: 361

Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

Chris Moran wrote:

Whatever happened to listening to others, understatement, spaces between the notes and Ma?

Well put.

Zak


塵も積もれば山となる -- "Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru." -- Piled-up specks of dust become a mountain.

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#10 2007-11-25 16:39:53

Moran from Planet X
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From: Here to There
Registered: 2005-10-11
Posts: 1524
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Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

Tairaku wrote:

Good thing we are playing Japanese music because we are all young again.

Perfect.


"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I am all out of bubblegum." —Rowdy Piper, They Live!

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#11 2007-11-25 17:03:36

Tairaku 太楽
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From: Tasmania
Registered: 2005-10-07
Posts: 3226
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Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

It is commonly said that 50-55 is the best age for shakuhachi because you are mature enough to play with taste and restraint yet still have a lot of physical energy.


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#12 2007-11-25 17:16:32

Moran from Planet X
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From: Here to There
Registered: 2005-10-11
Posts: 1524
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Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

Tairaku wrote:

It is commonly said that 50-55 is the best age for shakuhachi because you are mature enough to play with taste and restraint yet still have a lot of physical energy.

Ah-hah. At 51, those are two good myths I wish I could perpetuate.

And both good reasons why I don't have any recordings or photos of myself posted online. wink


"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I am all out of bubblegum." —Rowdy Piper, They Live!

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#13 2007-11-25 18:57:34

Nyogetsu
Kyu Dan Dai Shihan
From: NYC
Registered: 2005-10-10
Posts: 259
Website

Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

My teacher (Kurahashi YODO Sensei) said to me that," A young man is all physical strength, and an old man is all Spiritual strength (KARETA OTO- withering away sound. This is similar to what happens in the Martial Arts - like KENDO- when you are trying to get strike at the old Master. He seems barely able to stand, but the student can't get near him to strike!). So, the best fusion or unity of these two strengths is at age  56. Before that it's all physical, and after that, the sound gets weaker, and its all spiritual!"


The magic's in the music and the music's in me...
"Do you believe in Magic"- The Lovin' Spoonful

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#14 2007-11-25 19:11:32

jamesnyman
Member
From: Austin, Texas
Registered: 2005-10-23
Posts: 162

Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

I guess us 59 year olds are on the downhill slide?


"The means are the ends in the making."  Mohandas K. Ghandi

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#15 2007-11-25 19:22:16

Nyogetsu
Kyu Dan Dai Shihan
From: NYC
Registered: 2005-10-10
Posts: 259
Website

Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

Don't feel bad.
I passed 60 in July!


The magic's in the music and the music's in me...
"Do you believe in Magic"- The Lovin' Spoonful

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#16 2007-11-25 20:21:45

caffeind
Member
From: Tokyo
Registered: 2006-04-13
Posts: 148

Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

Chris Moran wrote:

amokrun wrote:

Someone should come up with a shakuhachi equivalent of the old Tsugaru-jamisen style of two people playing against each other taking turns until one person runs out of new things to show. As little as I care for competition, I'd go for that in a heartbeat.

This does sound like fun, but musical competitions have always seemed to be won by those can produce the flashiest licks and the most intense, orgasmic flourishes and finishes to their compositions. It gets boring.

Irish Traditional Music got so obsessive about contests that playing in urban sessions became a big drag of who could play faster and flashier and what obscure Eb tunes one could play to filter out beginners. Kind of lost that community of musicians feel.

Blues jams usually end in a sweat fest of who can play the most jam-packed orgasmic solos.

Whatever happened to listening to others, understatement, spaces between the notes and Ma?

Another cranky post from yours truly. --cm

Thankfully its not going to be a jam. There is an audition process and only a small number of people will be selected to perform.

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#17 2007-11-25 21:15:44

Moran from Planet X
Member
From: Here to There
Registered: 2005-10-11
Posts: 1524
Website

Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

caffeind wrote:

Thankfully its not going to be a jam. There is an audition process and only a small number of people will be selected to perform.

I stand corrected. Gratefully. With good luck from the Etheric Shakuhachi Gods/Goddesses I will plan to attend these contests as an attentive and appreciative audience member.

-- H. C. (His Crankiness)


"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I am all out of bubblegum." —Rowdy Piper, They Live!

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#18 2007-11-26 10:49:56

Josh
PhD
From: Grand Island, NY/Nara, Japan
Registered: 2005-11-14
Posts: 305
Website

Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

The latest Hogaku Journal here in Japan says that the contest will be first divided up by country or area and there will be a  preliminary screening/judging of players. Those accepted will compete in Sidney. Because of the numbers of more advanced players, more slots will be alotted to players from Japan.
I think this shows that everybody has a chance to try in the beginning and that they shouldn't hesitate apply. I'm sure Riley will be posting more details as they are confirmed. Looking forward to a great event! Whether it's from the stage of from the audience wink

Josh

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#19 2007-11-26 17:40:31

Moran from Planet X
Member
From: Here to There
Registered: 2005-10-11
Posts: 1524
Website

Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

amokrun wrote:

As for myself... my solution is simple. I keep on competing with myself. Toughest opponent I can imagine ...

So far so good.

amokrun wrote:

... and you can't even resort to swords if things aren't going your way.

As Suzuki Shunryu Roshi was often quoted as saying. "Not always so."  See film link . yikes 

--cm

Last edited by Chris Moran (2007-11-26 17:43:12)


"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I am all out of bubblegum." —Rowdy Piper, They Live!

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#20 2007-11-27 03:09:12

amokrun
Member
From: Finland
Registered: 2006-08-08
Posts: 413

Re: World Shakuhachi Young Performers Contest

Chris Moran wrote:

amokrun wrote:

... and you can't even resort to swords if things aren't going your way.

As Suzuki Shunryu Roshi was often quoted as saying. "Not always so."  See film link . yikes

Well, sure, it's just that you are kind of guaranteed to lose. Or win, depending on your definition.

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