Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Shakuhachi residency in Durham, NC Public School.

Japan Foundation and Duke University partner to present a unique public elementary school shakuhachi teaching residency.

Each day next week for five hours, the sound of shakuhachi will be heard in the 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms of the Club Boulevard Humanities Magnet School in Durham, North Carolina. James Nyoraku Schlefer's week long residency will teach the children not only about the shakuhachi but also how to play it.  The residency is possible through a grant from the Japan Foundation and through the outreach program of Duke University's Asian/Pacific Studies Program. The curriculum for the week includes hands-on shakuhachi practice (the school purchased plastic beginner instruments,) learning shakuhachi music notation, the history of the music and Zen Buddhist meditation, and strengthening basic music skills. In addition the kids will learn about Japanese culture, study a few written and spoken words, hear stories, and create dances to traditional music. The residency culminates with a public performance on Friday afternoon. The Club Boulevard School is located at 400 West Club Boulevard, Durham, NC. Phone: 919-560-3918