Alcvin Takegawa Ramos was born in Japan where he spent many years studying shakuhachi. It was through his studies of Eastern Religions from the University of California at Santa Barbara and the practice of martial arts and meditation that inspired him to go to Japan to study shakuhachi. He has studied extensively with Kaoru Kakizakai, Teruo Furuya, and Katsuya Yokoyama, as well as hocchiku with Atsuya Okuda. In 1996 he moved to Vancouver, BC, Canada. He returned to Japan in 1998 to deepen his studies and in 2001, he received his Shihan (master) license from one of greatest shakuhachi masters, Katsuya Yokoyama. Alcvin is one of the few Westerners to be granted this honour. In October 2001, Al returned to Vancouver, Canada and founded The Shakuhachi Society of British Columbia, Canada's first shakuhachi centre.

Alcvin respects all traditions of the shakuhachi flute but it is the style and flavor of Watazumi-do and Katsuya Yokoyama that has captured his intererest and fascination the most and considers these spirits to be his guiding inspirations.

Alcvin pursues an active solo as well as collaborative career with the shakuhachi, seeking to expand the horizons of the shakuhachi flute. Alcvin has played with various musicians and groups including: John McLaughlin, Bill Laswell, Kazutoki Umezu, Katsutoshi Kondo, Joseph "Pepe" Danza, The Vancouver Symphonietta, The Dreamtime Continuum, Huun Huur Tu Mongolian Throat Singers, and is a regular member of Uzume Taiko Ensemble, Canada's first professional taiko group. Alcvin has played in numerous festivals and venues including the Vancouver Jazz Festivals, Vancouver New Music Festivals, Powell Street Festivals, The World Sacred Music Festival on Miyajima-Hiroshima-Japan, The Canadian Consulate in Tokyo, and the Vancouver Sacred Music Festivals. In addition, Alcvin has organized concerts and workshops for visiting shakuhachi masters from Japan and abroad, including the first Vancouver Shakuhachi Festival in 2003. Alcvin maintains an active schedule of shakuhachi teaching and performances between Japan, Europe, Canada and the US.

Alcvin regularly teaches shakuhachi to over 30 students in the Vancouver, Victoria, and Sunshine Coast areas of British Columbia, He has also studied the art of making shakuhachi flutes with Murai Eigoro in Tokyo and produces beautiful, finely-crafted jinashi/hocchiku flutes made from madake which he personally harvests from Japan every year.

Press coverage: Alcvin has been featured on Vancouver TV, ZTV and City TV in Vancouver, NHK in Japan, and KCTR radio and TV in the US and various publications in Canada and Japan including The Bulletin, Pacific Rim, Vancouver Shinpo, AERA, and DIAS.


Website: http://www.bamboo-in.com
email: ramos@dccnet.com