Teaching is a great joy! Being able to share my love and lifelong study of music
and helping others learn to create music is a major passion in my life.
--Philip Gelb, shakuhachi instructor

The Bay Area Shakuhachi School offers private lessons and group classes for the study of traditional and contemporary shakuhachi music. With over thirty registered students, it is one of the largest shakuhachi schools outside of Japan. Lessons and classes are offered in a spacious loft space in Oakland on a regular basis and twice a month, lessons are offered at a beautiful home in Santa Rosa.

All students are encouraged to take private lessons on a weekly basis. This is the most efficient way to learn and receive detailed attention to each student's individual needs. In addition, students are encouraged to attend the numerous group classes that are offered. Several times a week there are "shakuhachi boot camp" classes offered. These are one hour drills on long tones and interval exercises; a very detailed study of very basic material. Once a month a honkytonks class is offered, focusing on one particular piece in the ancient shakuhachi repetoire of Buddhist origin. Ensemble classes are offered once a month to give students the opportunity to work together on modern repetoire that is often of non-Japanese origin.

Shakuhachi is an ancient Japanese bamboo flute. Its origin is connected to the monastic practices of the Fuke Zen sect of Buddhism. These monks would play shakuhachi as a form of medidation that they called "Sui Zen." In the nineteenth century, the shakuhachi emerged from the monasteries and began being used in Japanese chamber music along with voice, shamisen, and koto, a genre called, sankyoku. In the late twentieth century, the shakuhachi entered newer forms of music including jazz, avant garde classical music, and electro-acoustic music.

Most students in the United States become familiar with shakuhachi via soundtracks and recordings. The ancient Buddhist music, honkyoku, has great appeal to many listeners for its austere spiritual beauty. It is this stunningly beautiful sound that brings many people, including myself to want to learn shakuhachi.

Instructor Philip Gelb is highly respected in the Bay Area and international music communities as a performer of new and avant garde music as well as traditional shakuhachi styles. His performances and recordings show a very new and unique voice on the American shakuhachi scene.

Lessons are offered on most days in Oakland and twice monthly in Santa Rosa.

The essence of shakuhachi playing is honkyoku, the ancient repetoire that originated with the Fuke monks. All students are highly encouraged to fully explore this repetoire. Students begin with basic techniques, followed by an exploration of folk songs from Japan and other cultures. Honkyoku pieces are usually introduced within a few months of study, assuming the student is practicing daily and making progress. In addition to a very disciplined traditional approach to old styles of music, improvisation is taught from the very beginning. As soon as you can create a sound, you are encouraged to explore the flute on your own and create your own music. Attention is paid to both Japanese and Western scales, as lessons are approximately one hour long. Drop-in lessons are $40 dollars. For those taking regular weekly lessons, tuition is $110 for 4 private lessons, one hour long, each. No students are turned away for lack of funds so if my fees are not affordable, let us discuss it.

Group classes occur regularly. Contact me for a recent schedule.

Kurahashi Yoshio, from Kyoto, will be a guest teacher at least once a year. His next visit is scheduled for August 14-20. All students of any level are highly encouraged to take part in his classes and lessons. Riley Lee has also been a guest teacher.

Student flutes are available to borrow for the first month of study. In order to borrow a flute, you must register for one month of lessons. Student and professional flutes are always available for purchase.

Don't hesitate to send me email or call (510) 452-2568 for more information.