Grounding Element & Entertainment

Presenting a direct experience of the depth, expressiveness and musical prowess of this rare bamboo instrument.  For the musically and culturally curious only..  There is no larger category into which shakuhachi fits well: it is truly unique in both the music sphere, the arts in general and certainly in the realm of spirituality and religion.  This means that the circumstances which might benefit from shakuhachi are always being uncovered.  The apparent contradiction of “meditation” versus “entertainment” dissolves when the shakuhachi is appropriately contextualized and presented, especially in contexts where people are collectively intensifying the exchange of and interaction with topics and ideas that fuel their individual passions.  This is very often the case at conferences and conventions particularly the ones that might call for a shakuhachi or ceremonial sound presence: those focused on arts, music, consciousness, ecology, and cross-cultural or interdisciplinary awareness.

Reliability & Adaptability

Anyone who knows about presenting a conference–from the inside–understands that the “to-do” lists are endless, and the resources are always insufficient.  In spite of this, when these events do happen, everyone comes away enriched and enthused; but along the way it is crucial to “be like water” as Bruce Lee would recommend, and adapt to each unexpected scenario.  Good planning builds in resiliency, and as a professional, Cornelius has had to make this kind of adaptive behavior part of the toolbox, just as much as mastery of each skill set that is intrinsically required for shakuhachi performance and presentation.

Selected Topics (beyond Shakuhachi, Performance & Meditation)

• Creativity
  
• Breathwork
  
• Meditation Practice
• Woodwind Performance
  
• Zen Buddhism & Taoism
• Composing & Arranging
  
• Music and Arts Career
  
• The Polystylistic Composer-Performer
  
• The Illuminated Interdisciplinarian
  
• Rock Mythology and Music Evolution
• Plant Consciousness and Nature Wisdom as related to Woodwind Performance