Hello my dear email list friends.

I wanted to write to everyone on this list and intentionally not apologize for the gap in between this issue and others. Happily, I've been really busy! April is a time for coming out from underground so here we go.

First off is a couple of concert announcements.

April 22 is big - I'll be performing at the Hastings-on-Hudson Sakura Matsuri at around 1:30 PM then scooting down to the city for another concert in TriBeCa. I've been thinking a lot about what I want to play at the flower event and I'm going to stick to my usual rep with a few surprises thrown in. Right now it's looking like I'll play

Kumoi Jishi

Takeda no Komori Uta

Soran Bushi

Akebono Sugagaki or Sokkaku Reibo

Ringo Oiwake

Later that night I'll head to the city to play another concert.

This one is called Sakura and it's a collaborative project between Shoko Tamai, a fantastic dancer and choreographer, and myself. The piece we are working on has been brewing for a while. I've been writing music for solo Ballet dancer and shakuhachi and we will have another musician, the wonderful Mel Stein, accompanying us with ambient sounds and synths.

I'll put ticket info here - we are selling out so get them soon! The price of the ticket includes a tea ceremony by friend and mentor Yoshitugu Nagano as well as dinner. It's a private home space so seats are limited.

After that the Hudson Valley Shakuhachi Choir goes to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden to play for the flowers their (late blooming) cherries. Tickets for Hanami Nights are sold out but I wanted to let you all know that that is happening. It's a rare treat for me to get to perform with my flute people.

On top of this work I've been having a nice time getting my students ready for a masterclass with Yamada style koto musician Sumie Kaneko. The Brooklyn Shakuhachi club is going strong and I'm proud of everyone's efforts. I think that's all the updating I can do for now but I hope to hear from some of you - you can reply to this email here if you want to catch a show or just talk about anything.

to be continued....