Philip Gelb
Philip Gelb began studying shakuhachi in 1990 while a graduate student in Ethnomusicology at Florida State University with Dale Olsen. He continued his studies in New York with Ronnie Seldin and Yoshio Kurahashi. Philip is one of the most active performers and teachers in North America. He runs the Bay Area Shakuhachi School, teaching traditional and modern music. With branches in Oakland and Santa Rosa, it is one of the largest shakuhachi teaching organizations outside of Japan. Although he performs and teaches traditional music (both Japanese and Jewish), he also focuses as a performer on new and contemporary music, working with numerous composers to develop new repertoire as well as composing some of his own works. Recent
projects include The Natto Quartet (with Shoko Hikage, Tim Perkis and Chris Brown), whose CD made 3 top ten release lists for 2003; a trio with Alex Cline (percussion) and Dana Reason (piano); and collaborations with dancer/choreographer, Eri Majima.
Philip has an active freelance career as an improvisor. He is a frequent guest with various ensembles that have included The Seattle Creative Orchestra, Triaxium Ensemble, Sfsound ensemble and numerous other groups. He has premiered over two dozen pieces for shakuhachi, either solo or in a variety of contexts with other instruments. Some of the composers he has collaborated with and premiered pieces by are: Pauline Oliveros, Chris Brown, Dana Reason, Jon Raskin, Phillip Greenlief, Matthew Sperry, Tom Baker, Christian Asplud, Hugh Livingston, William Ludtke, Yoshiaki Onishi, and Christopher Shainan. He frequently collaborates with choreographers such as Eri Majima, Koichi Tamano, and June Watanabe. As a teacher, he has given lectures, demonstrations and performances at many colleges, including Stanford, Mills, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Riverside, U. of the Pacific, U. Florida, Florida State University, Stetson College, McGill University, Rollins College, and Cornish College of the arts. He is a regular faculty member of the Lark Music Camp in the Mendocnio Woodlands.
He has performed all over the U.S. and in Japan, Europe, and Canada at major festivals and venues, as well as in alternative art spaces, galleries and other venues. In addition, he has released numerous CDs on labels such as 482 music, Deep Listening, EMI-japan, Leo, Sparkling Beatnik, Abray, Limited Sedition, Artship and Ryokan.