I was looking at an Enso clock recently when I found a link to PocketDoan for the Palm. The Enso clock is basically an interval timer to help you in meditation or in your yoga practice. I use it for timing practice so I can concentrate on practice instead of the clock. When I am blowing RO on shakuhachi I can set the 10 minute timer and when 10 minutes is up a soft chime sounds to let me know 10 minutes has elapsed. Instead of spend the $99 on the Enso clock I pulled out my Palm Tungsten E2 and charged it up. I installed the free program and it does everything the Enso clock does and didn't cost anything. So if you have a Palm laying around it might be something you want to check out. There is also a free metronome you can download.

I stumbled upon an old shakuhachi tips page I had found a long time ago. You can find it here. You may or not have seen it before but I am always seeking any tips I can get. Check it out when you get a chance.

I have had a great response to the Florida Shakuhachi Camp and I thank those who have signed up and those who have written about the camp. We have 3 spots left for those thinking about coming. If you are interested please let me know and I will answer all questions and we are still putting the curricullum together so we are still open to any suggestions on pieces.

http://www.floridashakuhachi.com

Thanks!

The site is done now and has full details and pictures. The only thing we are holding back on is the curicullum. We want to see who signs up so we can best fit the pieces to the students. So far we have 3 of the 7 spots filled. It is shaping up to be a great camp. I hope I see you there!

http://www.floridashakuhachi.com

Great News!!!! We will be having a Florida Shakuhachi Camp in October of this year here in Florida. The camp will be taught by Michael Chikuzen Gould. It will be held October 9-11, 2009. For complete details see The Florida Shakuhachi Camp website located at: http://www.floridashakuhachi.com . The camp is limited to 7 participants to make sure that everyone who attends gets the full attention to their playing they deserve. Please check back often as the site will soon be updated with pictures of the cabins we will be staying in and the pieces we will be studying. I hope I see you there!

Many of you may have seen this video about komuso and the shakuhachi but for those who haven't or for those who forgot about it and want to watch it again, here you go. It has been sometime since I saw it and I stumbled across it again and wanted to share it.

I am getting excited about RO camp coming up. I have been at the last three RO camps and all of them have been a blast. It is a totally ego free place where you can learn a lot about shakuhachi and create friendships that will extend far beyond the camps. The camps start off in the morning usually blowing RO for some time to warm up and then we get right into learning pieces. Sometime in the afternoon we have lunch and then its back to learning and playing. After dinner we usually have a recital of sorts and take turns playing individually in groups and as we wish. No one has to play during that time so it is just a stress free time to relax with new and old friends before calling it a night. When we call it a night we generally all sit around a table and tell stories and have a good time. Some of us drink and some of us play. It is pretty much just a good old free for all of fun. Rarely do you get to spend so much time immersed in shakuhachi with others who love the instrument as much as you do. If you have never been to one of these events I HIGHLY recommend them. Below is the tenative schedule. I will be there and I will blog from there too. I hope I get to meet some of you there.

•5th - 7th: Summer RO Camp (see also the extended stay option on June 8th)
9696 Harding Highway West
LaRue, OH 43332

We will be having our summer RO Camp at the home of Craig Ciola outside of Marion, Ohio again. Craig's place is a beautiful quiet country setting where we can play out in nature without bothering anyone (does shakuhachi really bother anyone?) and without us being disturbed by unwanted distractions. Craig has bamboo grooves, carp ponds, and a newly built amphitheater (’08)!

The study format is as usual:
◦Two Groups: Beginners & Intermediate/Advanced. Some time will be spent in one large group studying together but we also split up into two groups according to levels..
◦Study Songs:
1.One main Honkyoku:
Beginner’s: Sanya (Yama Tani or Mt. Valley)
Advanced: TBA (requests are taken now).
2.Two Fukuda Rando songs: Tabibito no Uta & Gekko Roteki.
3.Two (pure) Minyo songs: Mogamigawa Funauta & Mamuragawa Ondo.
4.SanKyoku: Yugao.
5.Modern: Emu, “Picture Dream”.
◦One Lecture Workshop Entitled: “The Nature of the Beast (shakuhachi): How to Study Accordingly in a Natural Way.”
◦Lodging: You may sleep indoors or outdoors at this camp (there are three extra bedrooms: first come first serve); or on the floor with mats and bags. Most people will sleep outdoors in tents. If you don't have one, Chikuzen has a 10 man tent bigger than most apartments and ample mats and bags.
◦Meals: All participants help out in the kitchen for at least one meal. Maybe cooking isn't your thing so cutting and washing may be! Students living within driving distance will share the job of choosing a menu with another student. Participants coming from afar will add $30 to the registration fee for food, but still help in the kitchen.
◦How Much: The registration fee is $200. (Recession fee: $50 off last year's price!) Add $30 for food if you are coming from afar. Camp booklet and CDs will be provided upon receipt of registration fee.
◦Contact: To register or get further information, contact Michael Chikuzen Gould.

•8th: RO Camp Plus
For those interested in having a longer camp, we have added an option for an extra day of camp on Monday, June 8. Addtional Fee: $100.