It has been already one year. One year of pandemic, lockdown, restrictions,… To continue working, I set up online lessons, online meditations, online workshops, a virtual dojo… I even composed a ZOOM-Duet!

It has been already one year and it is also Spring time again, like last year, when everything closed down. From last year I remember the urge of going outside after months of rain and suddenly the emptiness of the streets. I remember contacting people to find concerts and suddenly all events cancelled. I remember wanting to make more (Dutch) friends and suddenly having to avoid people on the streets. I remember going in nature and feeling suspected when I sneezed because of allergies…

When this second year of pandemic started, it was Spring again and Spring shows you how strongly life goes on. Birds are singing, trees begin to bud, timid flowers come out of the ground, you cannot miss it. As I am lucky enough to live close to nature, I have started a new project: playing shakuhachi outdoors and filming it. Watch it here.

Lockdown Shakuhachi Vlog & Mini-Concerts

Mini-concerts in nature

Playing shakuhachi in nature is a very special experience. It is as much listening as playing. Birds, trees, wind, leaves, insects, the nature is not silent, it has its own music. When I am in nature, I love to listen deeply, and when I am back home, playing shakuhachi recreates the experience of being outside. Indeed, it works both ways:
– listening to nature inspires my way of playing pieces which are inspired by nature (the deers in Shika-no-tone, the cranes in Tsuru-no-Sugomori and Sokaku-Reibo, the water in Takiotoshi, the moon in Shingetsu, the pine trees in Matsukase, just to give a few examples)
– playing shakuhachi at home brings me back in nature through the evocation of natural sounds.

These mini-concerts are meditation moments as well. I cannot be anywhere else when playing outdoors and my mind is fully focused on listening to every single sound: flute, birds, human activity,… Not judging, just observing. Enjoying.
These experiences inspire my playing of the zen repertoire of shakuhachi.

Besides the “Mini-concerts in nature” I also started a “Lockdown Vlog” (in French). Watch it here. Even if you don’t understand French, you can enjoy the landscape and the music!

Shakuhachi YUU

I choose to play on my shakuhachi YUU because it is easy to take in my backpack and it is not sensitive to weather conditions like frost, rain or strong sunshine. I can play outdoors without worrying about my flute. Especially in Spring when the weather can change very rapidly!

I LOVE doing these musical walks and mini-concerts. I feel so much better afterwards. I wish they have the same effect on you. I wish you to find in them relaxation, serenity, space, freedom, inner peace, humour… and music.

ENJOY!

And don’t hesitate to like the videos, write comments, give feedback, subscribe to my YouTube channel. It means a lot to me!