3/29 Shakuhachi by Kaoru Kakizakai

Friday, March 29, 2024
3:00 PM 4:00 PM 15:00 16:00

Seattle Japanese Garden 1075 Lake Washington Boulevard East Seattle, WA, 98112 (map)

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Join us for this rare opportunity to experience the enchanting Shakuhachi music of Kaoru Kakizakai from Japan! Kaoru Kakizakai will be performing at various locations inside the garden from 3:00pm to 4:00pm. Feel free to engage with him during breaks if you have any questions.

On Friday, March 29th, Kaoru Kakizakai (柿界香), an internationally renowned Shakuhachi player, will perform at the Seattle Japanese Garden. Known for his exceptional talent, Kakizakai has captivated audiences worldwide with his mastery of the Shakuhachi. His repertoire includes notable performances with esteemed orchestras such as the WDR Symphony Orchestra, the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, and the NHK Symphony Orchestra. Among his acclaimed works is Toru Takemitsu’s “November Steps.”

Sample play: Kaoru performed Toru Takemitsu's "November Steps" with the NHK Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit in Salzbrug music festival.

About Kaoru Kakizakai (from the International Shakuhachi Society)

Kaoru Kakizakai was born in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture in 1959 and started playing the kena while he was in his teens. At 21 he started playing the shakuhachi in the Kinko style. His teacher recognized an unusual ability to play so he recommended him study with the master,Yokoyama Katsuya. He graduated from the NHK Traditional Music Conservatory and is the winner of the prestigious Kumamoto All Japan Hogaku competition. He has recorded with Yokoyama sensei on his CDs and videos and is a popular leader of shakuhachi workshops for the International Shakuhachi Training Center (Kokusai Shakuhachi Kenshukan) in Tokyo. He has performed extensively in America, Europe, Asia, and Australia and is a faculty member of the Boulder-based Shakuhachi Summer Camp of the Rockies as well as the Australian shakuhachi festivals. Kakizakai is currently on the governing board of the International Shakuhachi Society.

Currently he is research fellow at the Tokyo College of Music, full time instructor for the International Shakuhachi Kenshukan and NHK Culture Centre and President of the International Shakuhachi Kenshu-kan Chichibu School and Higashi Yamato School.