Just a quick post in this busy period to celebrate with you the end of 2023 and the seven years of existence of this blog!

I look back on a rich year, the highlight of which was my trip to Japan, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of my shakuhachi school in the Netherlands, the Dutch branch of Hijiri-Kai (Sainte-École), founded by Fukuda Teruhisa in Tokyo, Japan.

What does a shakuhachi school mean nowadays in a Western country?

To me it means the transmission of a tradition, the building of a community and a guarantee of quality.

I’m relentlessly working on it, for my students, my followers and to expand the shakuhachi audience outside the small world of shakuhachi players.

To celebrate my 10-year anniversary, I gave six workshops in 2023 in Nijmegen (the Netherlands). Blowing together is something I missed so much during the pandemic! I’m so happy when music brings people together!

I’m also back performing live, solo or with other instruments. And of course, in nature!

Shakuhachi is my way to happiness and I’m happy when I can make other people happy with it, whether by playing or listening.

Nothing makes me happier than receiving positive feedback about my work helping people on their path with shakuhachi. Nothing makes me happier than people hearing shakuhachi for the first time and telling me how deeply they are touched or feeling better.

So I would like to say a big “THANK YOU!” to all the people supporting my work in a way or another, starting with my adorable husband Wim Scheenen, without whose support I couldn’t devote my entire life to shakuhachi.

I wish you all Happy Holidays and a Happy 2024! 🎉🎄🎁🍾💫❤️🙏🏾