East Wind by Masayuki Koga

The shakuhachi is one of the most magical instruments. It is directly connected to the breath – man’s own connection to life. – and, in turn, intimately connected to man’s spirit, emotion, and expressive nuance. It is, thus, beautifully responsive to the artist and the artist’s spirit.

There are several schools of study of shakuhachi in Japan. The two major schools are Kinko and Tozan. While Kinko is the oldest, Tozan has more elements of incorporated with Western musical theory into its teaching because it was established in Meiji Period. Koga holds degrees from both schools. He has explored innovative ways of playing the shakuhachi and has worked to bring the beauty of the shakuhachi to the Western world. He has also collaborated CD project for Kitaro that was nominated for Grammy-award of 2007.

Masayuki Koga, composer, teacher, and performing artist, has devoted his life to mastering this delicate Instrument. This recording presents some of the finest selections from his previous albums. Traditional songs, original compositions, and improvisations attest to the wide-ranging talent and profound artistry to this shakuhachi virtuoso.

(Some distribution companies are producing this music and selling without my permission. This album is published by the copyright owner of Masayuki Koga.)

In 1981, Masayuki Koga founded the Japanese Music Institute of America (JMI) to introduce the highest-quality Japanese classical music to an American audience. Since then, JMI has fostered appreciation and study of both traditional and contemporary musical repertoires, offering both private instruction and ensemble training as part of its curriculum.

jmia.org
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