Shakuhachi Soloist, Composer, Multi-Media Artist & Collaborator

Visit Anne Norman's Webpage.

Anne Norman is a Composer and an accomplished solo performer of shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) and a variety of other flutes. Originally trained on Western Boehm system flute, Anne took up the shakuhachi under Nakamura Shindo in 1986 while living in Japan. In 1990 she received a two-year grant from the Japanese Government (Monbusho) enabling her to further her studies of shakuhachi performance at the Tokyo University of Fine Art and Music under Living National Treasure Yamaguchi Goro. Anne also studied a different repertoire under Tajima Tadashi. Anne currently resides in Melbourne working as a freelance musician, and has composed for the Federation Bells, choirs, instrumental ensembles, found objects (with a recent focus on bells made from power pole caps) and music for dance theatre. Much of Anne's work has focussed on improvisation in interaction with other artists, including actors, dancers, poets, visual artists, installation artists and musicians. Anne is a member of the quintet Jouissance, exploring a dialogue between Medieval and Byzantine chant and contemporary culture. Questing Spirit, her duo with harpsichordist Peter Hagen, performs new works by Australian composers as well as writing their own arrangements of Baroque and Japanese repertoire to suit their combination. Questing Spirit have performed in many venues throughout Victoria and South Australia (their 2001 Victorian tour being assisted by an Arts Victoria Touring Grant). In 1993 Anne founded Nadoya Music and Dance Company, co-directing their theatre show Kagome which had performance seasons in Melbourne and Sydney through the mid 90's.

Anne's music is regularly featured on local and national broadcasts. Anne has a Masters in Ethnomusicology (Monash Univ) and a Bachelor of Music, DipEd (Melb Univ). In addition to her performance schedule, Anne works as Artist in Residence in schools, inspiring students to produce cross art-form collaborative performance work. Anne also regularly works with taiko drummer Toshi Sakamoto and conducts a visiting Japanese Music in Schools Program which involves demonstrations, hands-on workshops and brief residencies in primary and secondary schools. Anne has written a bilingual musical for primary schools and has also been guest presenter / lecturer at the Universities across the country. She has been invited to perform at the International Shakuhachi Festival in New York City in 2004, and will be a member of a forum panel on women and the shakuhachi.

Reviews

'Endlessly fascinating sounds from the bamboo flute showed Norman as a master of this introspective and serenely calm instrument.' 'The Border Mail' Albury-Wodonga March 1998

'Watching Norman play removes any doubt as to where her passions lay. She commands the shakuhachi and its traditional sounds, but is able to blend and meld those sounds...' �MetroVita� June 2000