Kyotaku –
Sounds of the Soul
Kyotaku is an ancient wind instrument made of bamboo. Playing Kyotaku is a practice that helps you come home to and give a sound to your soul, and find more balance both within and around you. People who have experienced listening to Kyotaku, have reported that they feel more calm, grounded, and have found deep comfort in the soothing and healing sound and vibrations.
Excerpt of "Komorebi", an original piece by Elof Koyo.
Listen to "Kyo Choshi" on SoundCloud here. An original piece, "Honkyoko", from the “Suizen”, blowing Zen, tradition.
(Recorded in studio, Nov. 18, 2016).
Best experienced with headphones.
Background
Kyotaku has a history of 1200 years and was invented by a Zen-buddhist. The original flute was lost for a long time and then re-introduced by our (now deceased) Sensei Koku Nishimura in the early 1900’s. Kyotaku is not to be confused with Shakuhachi, which is a shorter Chinese flute with a different playing technique. Kyotaku has a deeper tone, somewhat raw, unpolished and yet meditative. The sound is very personal and can be subtle, rough, yelling, soft… there are many varieties, but the common ground is that you get a training partner for life that will teach you deep breathing and how to stay focused in a world with more challenges than ever. Harmonising sound is a bonus.
I’ve been studying Kyotaku since 2005 with Sensei Anders Koei Nordin, in Copenhagen, and with our head of the Kyotaku-society, Sensei Koryu Nishimura, in Kumamoto, who gave me the name Koyo. Koyo can have many meanings; in this case it means “sunshine” and for me it is about coming home to my inner truth, love and peace, again and again, and share that to others.
Want to listen live
or try a flute?
Recordings are great, but if you want to have the full experience of the sound and vibration in real life, then come to a concert, or book me for an event. I have played for meditation classes, yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, weddings, funerals, and at an event at the Swedish Government, to name a few.
Maybe you even want to try this instrument? I am currently the only teacher in Sweden. Just drop me a line, and we can have a talk about it. I’m located an hour SW of Stockholm.
More information:
Here are some links with a lot of useful information about this magical and rare instrument:
Tilopa, Germany — Teacher and great flute maker.
Hans van Loon, The Netherlands – A fellow Kyotaku player. Lot of info in English and flutes for sale.
