Profile

Jonah Fortune is a Shakuhachi performer and teacher based in Montreal Canada. he has been awarded a Jun Shihan teachers licence by his primary teacher Michael Chikuzen Gould, a grandmaster of the Dokyoku/Chikushinkai lineage created by Watazumi Doso Roshi and developed and expanded by Watazumi's top student Yokoyama Katsuya. While living in Kyoto for a music scholarship and on subsequent visits to Japan, Jonah had the opportunity to further study this style with grandmasters Michiaki Okada and Kinya Sogawa, and to study select Kinko/Jin Nyodo style pieces with grandmaster Yodo Kurahashi. He has had the opportunity to record and perform with several of his teachers in both Japan and the USA including performances at The historic Tofukuji temple complex in Kyoto and the museum of Kyoto. He has given solo concerts as well as performances alongside koto and western harp in both Japan and Canada as well as recording for film.  

Recordings

Jonah Fortune · Yamagoe

Upcoming performances

Shakuhachi lessons

Lessons are $40 CAD per 1 hour lesson.
While I focus mainly on teaching the ancient solo Zen repertoire of Honkyoku associated with the Dokyoku/Chikushinkai lineage. lessons are primarily tailored to the students needs and playing goals.

Japanese folk songs, modern pieces, ensemble pieces for shakuhachi and koto, exercises borrowed from western music and other material may also be used if desired. A focus on tone, breath, musicality, improvisation, technique and the mechanics of the instrument will be a part of lessons. this will allow the student to find their own sound and form a strong personal connection to the flute.

Scores and recordings of the pieces being studied will be provided as necessary.

Beginners to experienced students are all welcome.

Lessons via Skype. Lessons are also available via Skype, Facetime, Zoom or other video chat services if you are unable to attend in person lessons.

Contact

For more information or to schedule a lesson please contact me at glueballoon<at>gmail<dot>com and please be sure to put Shakuhachi in the subject field to avoid the spam inbox.

Shakuhachi?

The Shakuhachi is an end blown flute made from a thick root end piece of Madake or Timber bamboo. deceptively simple in its design, it is capable of a wide range of tone colour and expression. The shakuhachi was first introduced into Japan from China in the seventh century and was used in imperial court music. Originally resembling the Xiao, It changed form several times before settling on the simple 5 holed root end version seen today. During the Edo period (1600-1868), Shakuhachi training was the primary meditative practice of the komusô (‘priests of nothingness’) a sect of Zen Buddhist monks. For the Komuso, the shakuhachi was primarily a spiritual tool, not a musical instrument. Honkyoku are the songs these monks created.