Dr Markus Guhe discovered the shakuhachi while studying taiko (Japanese drumming) in Japan in 2012. Without knowing anything about the history or repertoire of the shakuhachi he immediately took to the practice of playing and quickly decided to ‘get really good’ at it.

Studying with Kakizakai Kaoru sensei since 2013, he received a shihan (master’s license) in 2016 from the Kokusai Shakuhachi Kenshukan (KSK), established by shakuhachi legend Yokoyama Katsuya.

Markus focuses on the traditional shakuhachi repertoire (honkyoku) as well as combining the shakuhachi with taiko and new (mostly electronic) forms of music. He is pushing to popularise shakuhachi playing in the West by performing, teaching and lecturing.

In 2017 he was awarded the first competitive KSK Europe scholarship to study with his teacher in Chichibu. In 2018 he released his first album ‘Samazama’. In 2018 and 2019 he performed his production ‘The Shakuhachi Experience’ at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Markus divides his time between Scotland and Germany. Markus has performed shakuhachi on stage since 2012 and has been a senior performer and teacher with the Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers (Europe’s only professional touring taiko group) since 2013 and is a permanent touring member since 2014.

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