If you're interested in being part of the festival as an absolute beginner, please register here.
Workshops on topics such as performing and practice techniques, making and choosing instruments, learning specific pieces, learning different notation systems, etc, will be scheduled throughout the Festival. The Festival will also feature a number of special academic and more general lectures presented by specialists from Japan and elsewhere.
The 'Absolute Beginner' or AB stream has been one of the most successful parts of recent Australian Shakuhachi Festivals. Total beginners, some having never held a shakuhachi before or heard one played live will be able to attend workshops especially for beginners, receive individual instruction, borrow or buy instruments and attend all concerts, all for a special AB registration fee.
There will be an Absolute Beginners stream (AB) during both the Rockies "Down Under" Camp, which precedes WSF08, and during the Festival proper.
Though there are no discounts for ABs who are registering for the Camp, the ABs will have smaller groups and more attention devoted to them. For ABs, the Camp will be full days of workshops geared especially for you, including small groups and individual lessons. You will be shown how to make sound, read notation, learn a piece, etc. This is the perfect opportunity for everyone interested in playing the shakuhachi, from the one-time ‘curious dabbler’, to the serious beginning student.
The AB stream during WSF08 is slightly different, because the Festival is different from the Camp. The Festival is concert/presentation oriented, in contrast to the ‘hands on’ workshop focus of the Camp. During WSF08, there will be one or two workshops specifically for ABs, most likely held in the morning. During this same time period, there will be one or two big group workshops held for the general registrants.
ABs will be shown the basics of how to get a sound, read notation, etc. but with less of the individual attention given during the Camp.
During the Festival, the focus will be on attending concerts, seminars, lectures, etc. ABs will be able to attend everything that regular registrants can, including all of the main concerts, even though AB registration is nearly half the price of full registration.
For both the Camp and the Festival, there will be beginner flutes available for loan, flutes for sale, etc. Or if you'd like to try blowing a shakuhachi before that, we have two types of inexpensive shakuhachi for sale. Please contact info@shakuhachi.com.au