Welcome to the home of New York City artist, Perry Yung. In 2002, I received support by both the American and Japanese governments to specifically study shakuhachi making and playing in Japan. I received combined grants from the Japan-US Friendship Commission, National Endowment for the Arts and the International House in Tokyo that enabled me to travel throughout Japan to meet with both Zen and modern shakuhachi makers and master players. I was introduced to my main shakuhachi making and playing sensei, Kinya Sogawa, through my NYC shakuhachi teacher, Ralph Samuelson. Before I embarked on my journey to Japan, I had been performing on the shakuhachi in experimental theater productions internationally with La MaMa E.T.C. What I discovered in Japan was utterly fantastic and beyond the scope of an introduction. It would be both a privilege and honor to share that experience with you and encourage any questions what so ever. This unique flute is shrouded in the mysteries of ancient folklore and much of the information on the internet is a little muddy. My Blog would a great place to start your explorations with a solid foundation.

I was primarily a visual and performance artist having graduated from San Francisco State University with a BFA , Summa Cum Laude with an Outstanding Student award for graduating at the top of my class. My time in New York City was first spent honing my stage craft as a full scholarship student at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance then by working with some of Downtown NYC’s staple artists like Ping Chong, Fred Ho, Pan Asian Repertory Group, Karole Armitage, and Ellen Steward’s Great Jones Repertory Group just to name a few.

I was introduced to the shakuhachi in both music and making through Yukio Tsuji and Genji Ito. Shortly after, I studied traditional music under Ronnie Nyogetsu Reishin Seldin and Brain Ritchie before going to Japan to start my artist residency. I studied making and playing in the Dokyoku style of Watazumi under Kinya Sogawa in Saitama, Japan. To take advantage of my residency, I also studied other styles of shakuhachi music: Jin Nyodo Kinko style under Keisuki Zenyoji, Goro Yamaguchi style Kinko under Christopher Blasdel and modern techniques with Akikazu Nakamura. For shakuhachi making, I visited the workshops of Tom Deaver, John Neptune and Motofumi Tatekawa. And as part of my on-going studies, I have taken workshops and and attended camps with Michael Chikuzen Gould,  Kifu Mitsuhashi and Riley Lee. These days, Ralph Samuelson is my teacher but I am greatly indebted to all my wonderful, generous teachers whom I try to do justice in continuing to spread the shakuhachi in the highest light.

My performance work takes precedent but I take shakuhachi commissions and repair work daily. Your flutes will receive my utmost attention. I teach two styles of shakuhachi - beginning/ intermediate level Dokyoku style as I learned it from Kinya Sogwawa and beginning Kinko. I specialize in Honkyoku but can teach shakuhachi embouchure technique for contemporary improvisation also.
photo by Larry Mullins

Teaching a shakuhachi making workshop at The Chikuzen Ro Camp 2007