World Shakuhachi Festival 2025

The College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts at Texas A&M University will host the eighth incarnation of the World Shakuhachi Festival from April 17-20, 2025.

An end-blown bamboo flute, the shakuhachi has become a much-loved and ubiquitous fixture in the world music scene over the last several decades. From its traditional origins as plaintive Zen meditative tones, or the lively Edo period (1603-1868) ensemble music, the shakuhachi has spread throughout the world and proved to be an extremely versatile instrument, utilized in a diverse range of genres including jazz, contemporary, rock and pop music, cross-cultural fusion, improvisation and video games. 

The World Shakuhachi Festival 2025 will feature a diverse range of music from these genres in concerts, workshops, lectures, exhibitions, master classes and informal gatherings. Participants can learn from and experience the artistry of the most consummate shakuhachi artists in the world, and be inspired by the endless possibilities inherent in this simple bamboo flute. 

The festival will transform the campus of Texas A&M and the cities of Bryan and College Station with the music of the shakuhachi, a magical instrument that somehow has the power to transcend national, cultural and linguistic boundaries.

Please see the World Shakuhachi Festival website for detailed information.