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James Nyoraku 如楽 Schlefer

如楽

Schlefer, James Nyoraku 如楽
Born 1956

Shakuhachi & Composer
james@nyoraku.com
https://www.nyoraku.com/

“James Nyoraku Schlefer occupies a special place in [New York City’s] cultural life, composing and performing music that bridges Western and Japanese styles.” The New Yorker

JAMES NYORAKU SCHLEFER, SHAKUHACHI, received the Dai-Shi-Han (Grand Master) certificate in 2001, and his second Shi-Han certificate in 2008, from the Mujuan Dojo in Kyoto. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Tanglewood and BAM, as well as multiple venues across the country and in Japan, Indonesia, Brazil and Europe.

Schlefer first encountered the shakuhachi in 1979, while working towards a career as a flute player and pursuing an advanced degree in musicology. Today he is considered by his colleagues to be one of most influential Western practitioners of this distinctive art form. Known to his students as Nyoraku sensei, Schlefer established his own dojo in NYC in 1996. He also teaches shakuhachi at Columbia University, a broad spectrum of Western and World music courses at New York City College of Technology (CUNY), and performs and lectures at colleges and universities throughout the United States. As a composer, Schlefer has written multiple chamber and orchestral works combining Japanese and Western instruments as well as numerous pieces solely for traditional Japanese instruments.

In December 2015, he was recognized by Musical America Worldwide as one of their “30 Top Professionals and Key Influencers” for his work both as a composer and Artistic Director of Kyo-Shin-An Arts. His writings about the shakuhachi and his career were published in 2018 on NewMusicBox and he was profiled by the National Endowment for the Arts’ “Arts Works Blog” in May 2016. His programming for Kyo-Shin-An Arts has also been recognized with two CMA/ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming (2013 and 2016). His orchestral music can be heard on the recording Spring Sounds Spring Season MSR Classics. www.nyoraku.com

Teachers

Students

Albums

Buddha and Bonsai Buddha and Bonsai

New Age album with prominent shakuhachi solos throughout.

Flare Up Flare Up

IN THE MOMENT IN THE MOMENT

Classic Honkyoku

Light of Asia Light of Asia

New Age recording with shakuhachi solos throughout.

Solstice Spirit Solstice Spirit

Several honkyoku, a composition by Fukuda Rando, and two of Nyoraku's own including an extended suite for an orchestra of 18 variously-sized shakuhachi.

SPRING SOUNDS, SPRING SEAS SPRING SOUNDS, SPRING SEAS

Original Compositions by: JAMES NYORAKU SCHLEFER: "Haru No Umi Redux", "Shakuhachi Concerto" DARON HAGEN: "Koto Concerto: Genji" JAMES NYORAKU SCHLEFER shakuhachi YUMI KUROSAWA 20-string koto
 ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN KENNETH WOODS conductor DAVID CURTIS conductor

Wind Heart Wind Heart

Honkyoku and modern music for the shakuhachi.

Tracks Recorded

Pieces KanjiLengthAlbumInstrument
Play Button Amazing Grace 04'59 Prayer for the Missing, A Shakuhachi
Azuma no Kyoku (Kinko Ryu) 吾妻の曲 04'52 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Banji 鑁字 08'33 Flare Up Shakuhachi
Esashi Oiwake 江差追分 06'46 Wind Heart Shakuhachi
Flare Up 06'15 Flare Up Shakuhachi
Ichijō 一定 09'34 Flare Up Shakuhachi
Kokû (Nezasa Ha) 虚空 (根笹) 13'49 Flare Up Shakuhachi
Kumoi Jishi 雲井獅子 04'38 Wind Heart Shakuhachi
Matsukaze (Nezasa Ha) 松風 (根笹) 07'04 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Miyama Higurashi 深山蜩 (みやまひぐらし) 06'00 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Night Pond 06'04 Wind Heart Shakuhachi
Omae 06'23 Wind Heart Shakuhachi
Reibo (Echigo) 霊慕 (越後) 10'40 Wind Heart Shakuhachi
San'ya (Brooklyn) 08'57 Flare Up Shakuhachi
San'ya (Echigo - Betsuden) 三谷 (越後) 10'00 Wind Heart Shakuhachi
San'ya (Echigo) 三谷 (越後) 12'22 Wind Heart Shakuhachi
San'ya (Jinbo) 神保三谷 07'11 Flare Up Shakuhachi
Play Button Solstice Spirit 02'01 Prayer for the Missing, A Shakuhachi
Solstice Spirit 02'17 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Solstice Spirit 01'14 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Solstice Spirit 03'06 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Solstice Spirit 01'25 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Solstice Spirit 01'20 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Solstice Spirit 03'25 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Solstice Spirit 01'28 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Solstice Spirit 55 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Solstice Spirit 55 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Solstice Spirit 01'57 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Tabibito no Uta 旅人の唄 05'51 Wind Heart Shakuhachi
Tsuru no Sugomori (Don't know which version) 鶴の巣籠 15'34 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi
Tsuru no Sugomori (Futaiken) 鶴の巣籠 (布袋軒) 12'22 Flare Up Shakuhachi
Variations on Amazing Grace 04'54 Solstice Spirit Shakuhachi

Composed or Arranged

Shakuhachi Compositions
Title Kanji Year Alternate Title
Variations on Amazing Grace
1996

Solstice Spirit
1997

Timeless Moment
1997

San'ya (Brooklyn)
1999

Flare Up
2002

Duo No. 1 for Shakuhachi and Koto
2004

Duo No. 2 for Shakuhachi and Shamisen
2006

Quintet for Shakuhachi and String Quartet
2006

Duo No. 3 for Shakuhachi and 20-string Koto
2007

SHAKUHACHI DUETS
2007

THE PRACTICAL SHAKUHACHI
2008
Etudes for Technical Development
Concerto for Shakuhachi and Chamber Orchestra
2009

Haru no Umi Redux
2010
Shakuhachi, Koto, String Orchestra
OASHISU - Shakuhachi, Koto, Cello, Percussion
2010

A Smile on the Buddha Calm
2011
Shakuhachi, Piano, Violin, Cello
Sankyoku No. 1
2011
Shakuhachi, Koto, Cello
Take Rei 竹鈴
2011
Shakhachi and Crotales