MEDITATION FOUNDATION

Before obtaining the following certificates, it is encouraged that the student successfully completes at least one retreat that teaches a form of meditation/spiritual practice (at least 7 days in length). This may be completed any time in the space of one's studies. Suggested meditation traditions:

- Zen (Japanese style)

- Chan (Chinese Zen)

- Son (Korean Zen)

- Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhist meditation)

- Vipassana (Theravada)

CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION

There are four levels of "certificates of completion":

Shoden ‹ Beginner Transmission

Hama Chidori

Defune

Yamabiko

Honshirabe

Rokudan no Shirabe

Azuma Jishi

Perform at one festival in a group and/or duet and solo

Chuden ‹ Intermediate Transmission

Chidori no Kyoku

Tsukigusa no Yume

Yugure no Gensou Kyoku
San Ya (Three Valleys)
Koku
Kumoi Jishi
Tamuke
Hi Fu Mi Hachigaeshi

Perform at one festival in a group and/or and solo

Okuden ‹ Inner Transmission

Sokkan
Daha
Shika no Tone
Koden Sugomori
Nezasa Shirabe
Sagari-ha
Takiotoshi

Perform at one festival in a group and/or and solo

Kaiden  ‹ Entire Transmission

Shingetsu
TSURU NO SUGOMORI
Shoganken Reibo
Yamagoe
San-an
Reibo

Visit Japan to harvest bamboo at least one time

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 Shakuhachi Society of British Columbia.