Hello everyone, I just shipped out the last shakuhachi of 2011. Now it’s just me and the family for a week of festivities.
What an amazing years it has been, full of touring, performances, workshops, retreats, the Vangelis concert and ending with sending shakuhachi all around the world for Christmas. I personally can not think of a better present than the gift of peace.

The experience of playing in Vangelis’ concert in Qatar is deepening by the day. It was, for lack of a better description, a full-throttled wacky, mind bending experience (some of you may recall that Vangelis scored the cult classic film Bladerunner). The artist, the place, the people, the culture, the circumstance, the musicians… it gets more and more astonish as I reflect upon it. One amazing moment I need to write about is how the many participants, members of disparate cultures, were able to come together backstage and dance uninhibited to spontaneously music of the moment. Perhaps it was the full moon? I think it was a rare moment for all of us seize, to prove that if artists ran the world, there would be no wars. This event will surely grace my blog for some time to come as it was filled with so many elucidating, affirming experiences.

I was born into family of immigrants who came to America on borrowed airline tickets and only the clothes on their backs. I was a fortunate accident and that certainly didn’t help matters. I was always told that I never had any new clothes or toys, and that my parents always worked overtime just to make ends meet. But, it never occurred to me that we were poor. Our home was always warm, filled with love, music, art and laughter.  When I was about 10 years old or so, my mother said, “To be a good person, you must help others. It is your duty on earth.” And when I went to college, becoming the second in our family history to receive a college degree, she was a little worried that I decided to study art and not something that would land me a job. I said. “No worries mom, I’m going to help others with my art! That simply philosophy stay with me and has always infused my theater and flute work. These thoughts flashed through my mind as I sat on stage, warming up the shakuhachi during the tech rehearsal for the Vangelis concert. When the orchestra started rehearsing Chariots of Fire. I had to ask myself, How did I get here?’

Backstage with Vangelis and Jeremy Irons.

Because of my art, I’ve had the enormous privilege and honor of performing all over the globe. BC (before children), I would be on the road for months in Europe and/or Asia. By the last show, it was always nice coming back to New York City. There’s no place like home.

42nd St New York City. Dec 22, 2011.

Happy Holidays my frieds. May your dreams come true.
Namaste, Perry