why i am in japan

Since several of you have asked, and "asia" is quite an ambiguous and all-encompassing term (working on a better title for this blog, ideas welcome), I thought I'd take a minute to explain just what exactly it is that I am doing in Japan.

Over the past year I took an ensemble class called "World Music: Gagaku." Gagaku is the imperial court music of Japan, featuring instruments like the ryuteki, sho, koto, biwa and my personal fav, the hichiriki. The hichiriki is a double reed instrument that is loud and hard to play, but is also basically the diva of the gagaku stage.

After a year of study I can play 2 1/2 ish songs and am still trying to figure out the written system for reading music. Part of the problem on that front is that it is not always consistent and so I came to learn mostly from ear. Now I need to really know it though in order to learn at a quicker pace and to practice on my own.

In addition to learning how to play in a completely foreign and somewhat esoteric music tradition, after the year had passed I found myself with a free ticket to study Gagaku in Tokyo for 6 weeks this summer. The program was created this year and is called the Mentor/Protege Gagaku Summer Initiative. For any of you who haven't graduated yet -- take the class next year and apply! only those taking the class are eligible and this year 4 people were chosen out of a class of around 10 people.

Since the program is in its first year it seems we are all finding out what it entails together. We have lessons around 3 or 4 times a week at different places in the city -- very convenient for sightseeing -- and will be attending several Gagaku concerts. Also, this Friday we get to attend a Gagaku practice inside the Imperial Palace, which is apparently a very big deal. Unlike the White House, the Imperial Palace is off-limits for most Japanese -- no tours, etc.

So far our schedule has been pretty laid back. Plenty of time to adjust to the time change, explore, excercise, and generally do my own thing, which I of course love. Only set back so far has been trying to get an adapter for my computer. Probably should have looked into it before leaving the States but, oh well. Until I get one though I have to use the computer lab, which makes it harder to upload pics... I have heard that for Dell computers all you need is a plug that accepts a three-prong and plugs into a two-prong outlet and that since the voltage here is pretty close to the US you don't need an actual *adapter.* Anyone know more about this?