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Alcvin is a unique shakuhachi player; a leading teacher of the instrument who practices the traditional ways but straddles the cutting edge (see SHINDAKE and DHARMAKASA.) He lives a pure shakuhachi life.
If it were possible to hear the breathing of atoms; it would probably sound like the shakuahchi of Alcvin Takegawa Ramos; simple, complex, intense, deep; his music is a visceral adventure of the spirit, rich in heart and unexpected vibratory realizations. His flute sings to us everywhere the shakuhachi has been, concert halls, to caves, castles to campfires, ancient temples to living rooms; the summit of mountains to rainforests.
Alcvin was born in Japan, attended school in the States, and now lives in the rainforests of BC, Canada. He started playing piano, trumpet, and singing in the choir in elementary school. In highschool, Alcvin heard the sound of the Japanese bamboo flute in a film called RAN, by Akira Kurosawa and was deeply inspired to study shakuhachi. After studying Eastern Religions and Philosophy in University Alcvin returned to Japan to study shakuhachi for serveral years. Through his study of the shakuhachi in Japan, Alcvin has had the opportunity to travel through Asia, Australia (to study yidaki), Europe, Canada and America learning about various cultures and arts. The shakuhachi continues to lead him to more adventures to fascinating and beautiful places and people through the playing and creation of music.
Alcvin is one of the foremost teachers and performers of shakuhachi in North America. He was the first non-Japanese to win a prize in the all-Japan Shakuhachi competition. In 2001, he received his shihan (masters) license from one of the greatest shakuhachi masters in history, Katsuya Yokoyama. In November of 2008, Alcvin received his Dai Shihan (grand master) license from another one of Japan's greatest players and teachers, Yoshinobu Taniguchi, taking the new name, "Ryuzen" (Dragon Meditation) making him the first Canadian and one of only a handful of non-Japanese to receive this esteemed honor. Alcvin has also studied jinashi shakuhachi playing intensively with Atsuya Okuda of the Zensabo and shakuhachi construction techniques with Shugetsu Yamaguchi.
Alcvin has taught and performed all over North America, Europe, and Japan and pursues an active solo as well as collaborative career and has played with many distinguished artists such as John McLaughlin, Bill Laswell, Toshinori Kondo, Hun Huur Tuu Mongolian Throat Singers, Kazutoki Umezu, Celso Machado, Joseph "Pepe" Danza, Uzume Taiko, and has opened for Anoushka Shankar and the Yoshida Brothers. Alcvin is available for lectures, workshops, performances, film soundtracks, butoh dance music, and meditation retreats at Bamboo-In.
Alcvin places importance not only on playing shakhachi, but also on making one's own, individual hocchiku Shakuhachi. Every year in late autumn, he arranges a trip to Japan to harvest bamboo in several places throughout Japan. Participants partake in an outing of harvesting amongst the fresh air and beauty of Japan's mountainous countryside. During the field trip, members are trained how to select, harvest, and dry bamboo for their own hocchiku shakuhachi. Other activities on the trip include visiting Kyoto Meianji, and other sacred places of Japan. You can read about the second "Roots Pilgrimage" in 2005 here. Photo album is here. The most recent trip (in Nov. 2006) can be read here. The photo journal can be viewed here.
Japan is inherently a syncretic culture where many influences have shaped the face of the country and its music. The shakuhachi is no different. It was not only influenced by zen, but shingon, shinto, tendai, budo, etc.
For those in the west wishing have a concentrated experience of shakuhachi study and meditation in one of the most picturesque places on earth, Bamboo-In on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, Canada, offers extended and shorter retreats where one can really can absorb and learn authentic koten honkyoku. Please read more here.
Groups currently in:
Dharmakasa, Thin Air Onsemble (TAO), and Densabi (Electric Corrosion), Satoru (Traditional Japanese Music with Satomi Saeki). Please buy our CD on iTunes below! Thanks!
Download new CD from iTunes!!!!
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Download new CD from iTunes!!!!
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Download CD from iTunes
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