SHAMISEN is a Japanese traditional instrument with three silk strings. It has a very long neck and its body is made out of wood and covered with skin. Shamisen players use a large plectrum, called a BACHI which lends a percussive effect to the sound, as the technique of playing involves both the plucking of the string and the slap of the BACHI against the skin. Shamisen is traditionally taught orally, using what we call "KUCHI-JAMISEN" which is a system of giving each BACHI stroke or combination of strokes a word. The word indicates which string you strike, how you play, or simply if it's an open string or not, as well as giving the rhythmic elements. This system of teaching was used as a memory aid for remembering the patterns essential to shamisen melodic construction. Sound like this; "chin ton shan, tsun tere shan, ten tere ren ton ten tere ren tsuru rin, ton, shan"

SINGING, for Aki, is much the same as playing an instrument. The essence of a song is communicated not so much by the words themselves, whether through rhyme, imagery or meaning, but rather through how they are combined together to produce a certain rhythmical effect.

Although at times the lyrics of a song might convey a message, at other times the words being sung are quite irrelevant. A single syllable might be sustained for more than 15 seconds; a single word might require more than a minute to complete. As the voice playfully creates and explores, tone, melody and rhythm assume an importance, which transcends mere words.

I teach private lessons from Nagata Shachu's taiko studio in east Toronto. I teach individuals (no semi-private or group lessons unless teaching in a workshop situation) of varying levels and age range, and lessons are planned to suit the individual needs of the student.