Full documentary: Shakuhachi - One Man's Meditation

The Shakuhachi is a Japanese bamboo end-blown flute, which has a rich culture and history associated with it. One blind New Zealander from the Bay of Plenty has developed his own relationship with bamboo, Shakuhachi, and its music.
Kelvin Falconer walks through his bamboo groves, with tall shoots of bamboo towering over him. The bamboo littered with beautiful hand made terracotta tags that Kelvin has made for knowing how long each culm has been growing for.
Once he finds a suitable shoot he proceeds to patiently craft the bamboo using only his senses of touch and hearing. At a glance Shakuhachi appear to be simple instruments but the understanding and skill in shaping even a basic flute is something which requires Kelvin to have an acute knowledge of the physics of sound and a finesse to fine tune each unique culm of bamboo.
Through playing the Shakuhachi Kelvin is able to develop a calmness which he describes as ‘Meditation through Sound and Breath’. Through watching him craft a flute from beginning to end we are witness also to a craftsman putting his all into every detail.
Kelvin shows us that the Shakuhachi is a tool that can bring calm and focus to distracted and stressed Minds. His flute becomes a metaphor for what we ‘make’ in our own lives and through his craft he transcends his perceived disability and the limitations of Blindness.
Type: Documentary
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2012
Filmmaker: Michael Hobbs
Format: Digital 1080
Language: English
Subtitles: English
Colour: Colour
Film Ratio: 16:9
Sound Type: Stereo
Running Time: 11m38s

[@ganinaylor9769]

Thank you for this beautifully made documentary. A treasure! I had the pleasure of meeting Kelvin and Irene many years ago and received one of his flutes. It has been a true friend and companion on many adventures. I love the sound it makes in water. I'm grateful to have come across this ode to his craftsmanship. Greetings from Cornwall, UK 🙏🏽

[@mateoteo5348]

Beautiful film! I met Kelvin and Irene in 2014, I helped repair their kitchen and then he taught me his art. Knowing that he made flutes, I brought him one made by me in PVC, transverse type. Of course not as finely tuned as the Kelvin ones! Ialways remember them! Greetings from Uruguay!

[@VladimirKhrobystov]

My favorite film. I come back to it time to time along years. Thank you for very kind work!

[@hippyparents1649]

Thanks so much Vladimir for your kind words

[@juliasich4648]

I really loved this short meditative film which is beautifully made. I had no idea we had such a treasure of Kelvin right here making and playing shakuhachi flutes in the Bay of Plenty.

[@hippyparents1649]

Kelvin is definitely a treasure 🙂 thanks for the comment Julia

[@BorisLevitskiy]

✨🌿🕊️ Thank you a lot!

[@IceBondMusic]

Great, i m very impressed!

[@raviv4448]

Incredible

[@dahlavibez5726]

Your accent. Sounds from New Zealand.. telling me there's a blind shakuhachi master here??? Such an inspiring guy

[@kok-wahyeap9580]

Thank you for making such a wonderful short film. I am very touched by Kelvin's journey and would like to wish him all the best in his mindful path.

[@hippyparents1649]

Thank you Kok-Wah 🙂

[@cindy4883]

This was beautiful. I bought my first Shakuhachi today and this video was a gift for me to learn more about this beautiful instrument. Thank you very much, amazing work!!!!

[@hippyparents1649]

Thanks for your comment Cindy. So happy this film still finds people like you 😊

[@renatoatore]

A real Zen master! Thanks for sharing!

[@dillonsnyder1172]

This was a gift to watch. Please send Kelvin my gratitude. Greatness. I will go and practice, now.

[@daviddrinkwater6975]

Beautifully Documented and story

[@twoowls5570]

Beautifully crafted film. I have a new hero now. Love the sound track, so appropriate. Lastly, loved the cat! Best regards, Jimp

[@hippyparents1649]

Thanks Jimp 🙂

[@Goku17yen]

Amazing documentary, thank you

[@wargaixtal01]

beautiful work

[@hippyparents1649]

Thank you Robby

[@reonprinters]

WoW !!! I can't believe this 👍🏿

[@louisdelmar6853]

Beautifully made video! Very inspirational!

[@nikolaantonov9007]

Секрет волшебного звука в том, что в мастерской есть кот! ))

[@jeanpierrecarpentier]

💛💖🤎

[@鍔木紀子]

Am living in Japan...can I spend this summer with you studying shakuhachi and how to make??? James from Tottori...

[@bjulianlm]

Yo! If this man can use power tools... What's stopping me? Nice vid BTW

[@hippyparents1649]

Right!

[@joseestebanbolivarfernande9940]

wow, amazing man. how i can get his email or web page to buy his Shaku ? thanks in advanced. bye

[@hippyparents1649]

You should be able to find and contact him on LinkedIn

[@justinmoore991]

Does he have a website? I'd love to own one of his wonderful creations. Please let me know if there is a way to purchase from his available flutes.

[@hippyparents1649]

You should be able to find and contact him on LinkedIn

[@gennaroambrosanio2813]

Without Utaguchi this flute is useless. This Shakuhachi version is similar to Chinese Tong Xiao.