ABSTRACT
Ethnic implies the acceptances of specific limitations whereas contemporary art-music sees itself as the voice of some shared mainstream contemporary sensibility, which transcending its particular geographical origins, is capable of finding resonances around the globe amongst all those who see themselves as participating in the culture of the contemporary world. There are special hazards facing any comtemporary composer taking on the shakuhachi. The historical shadow of traditional honkyoku is the most obvious danger. The self image of the musician as a musician and the unconscious assimilation of this inherited role will find acute expression through the characteristic body postures adopted, both on and off the stage, and in numerous other facets of performance behaviour. The discovery of the musical means that can help to transcend the fundamental cultural conditionings is the challenge that faces us as imperatively as the challenge to free music from the bonds of tonality confronted composers earlier in the twentieth century.
