CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION
There are four levels of "certificates of
completion":
- Shoden Ü Beginner Transmission
- Chuden Ü Intermediate Transmission
- Okuden Ü Inner Transmission
- Kaiden Ü Entire Transmission
These certificates will be issued to those
who requests them upon the successful completion of a list of shakuhachi
pieces, which I'll provide as soon as possible. Obtaining the certificates
are not essential in order to receive the teaching and performing licenses,
but in most cases, the completion of all of the pieces on the list is required.
TEACHING AND PERFORMING LICENSES
There is one teaching license and one performing
license. The teaching license is called "jun shihan" (associate master).
The performing license is called "shihan" (master). Usually, all of the
pieces in the "certificate of completion" list of required pieces must
be successfully completed before applying for the teaching license. The
teaching license must be obtained before applying for the performing license.
To obtain a junshihan license one must:
- Teach a beginner a one hour lesson
- Teach an advanced student for one
hour.
- Perform one honkyoku by heart
- Answer questions pertaining to teaching.
The last section will be in the form of an
oral examination.
The two hours of teaching and the performance
will be video taped. The sample lessons, the performance and the oral examination
will be critiqued by two qualified shakuhachi teacher/performers.
The "beginner" and "advanced" students participating
in the lessons, and the honkyoku to be performed must be approved in advance.
Sample questions pertaining to teaching will also be provided to the applicant
in advance. The honkyoku performance will take place, if possible, on the
day of the sample lessons.
To obtain a shihan license, one must
give a public performance.
The performance should be at least one hour
in length. The following pieces are required to be performed during
the concert.
- at least two classical honkyoku
- one duet or ensemble piece
- one original work composed by the
performer
- one modern (after 1960) composition
The honkyoku are to be peformed by heart,
i.e., without notation.
The duet or ensemble can be with any other
instrument(s), Japanese, western, etc. A shakuhachi duet, for example,
is acceptable. The piece can be performed with a tape or a live musician.
The piece must be composed and notated. Improvisations are not acceptable.
It can be a traditional or modern piece.
The performer must provide the score (in any
traditional shakuhachi notation) of the original work.
The modern piece, which can be a solo or ensemble
work must be composed and notated in staff notation by someone other than
the applicant. It must be different from the required ensemble piece.
The rest of the programme is up to the applicant.
The entire programme must be no shorter than sixty minutes and no longer
than ninety minutes, not including speaking time and interval if included.
The specific titles of the required pieces
are up to the performer, but all pieces must be approved prior to the accreditation
concert.
This performance can be anywhere - it needn't
be a costly endeavour, but at least 10-20 people should be able to attend.
On the other hand, it can be a more adventurous event; if fifty or more
people to pay to hear the performance, the applicant could earn some money
at the same time as earning the license.
Costs:
Shoden $100
Chuden $150
Okuden $200
Kaiden $250
Junshihan $1000 (required for Shihan)
Shihan $2000
Fees cover the cost of the licensing process and a substantial
donation to the Australian Shakuhachi Society.
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