Rodrigo Rodríguez (musician) facts for kids

Rodrigo Rodríguez (born 29 August 1978) is a talented musician from Spain. He is famous for playing the shakuhachi, which is a traditional Japanese flute. Rodrigo is also a composer, meaning he writes his own music, and a record producer. His music often blends traditional Japanese sounds with new-age and world music styles.

Life and Music Journey

Early Life and Learning Music

Rodrigo Rodríguez was born in 1978 in San Carlos de Bolivar, Argentina. When he was eight years old, in 1986, he moved with his family to Mallorca, Spain. He started learning classical Western music at the age of 10. He studied classical guitar and learned how to compose music.

Studying the Shakuhachi in Japan

Rodrigo later moved to Japan to learn the shakuhachi. He studied with two very important masters: Kaoru Kakizakai at The International Shakuhachi Kenshunkan School, and Kohachiro Miyata, who is one of Japan's top shakuhachi players.

First Albums and Recognition

In 2008, Rodrigo released an album called "Various Artists Music That Illuminates Your Life." This album was a collection of songs by different artists, including famous musicians like David Arkenstone and Terry Oldfield. Later that year, his third album, "Beyond the Times," was chosen as one of the Top 25 Albums by a radio show called Echoes.

Performing Around the World

Rodrigo has performed his music in many places across the globe. He has played at famous venues like the Imperial Hotel Tokyo and for NHK Culture events in Japan. He even performed at the Kōtoku-in Temple, home to the "Great Buddha" in Kamakura city, which is a very famous landmark in Japan.

In 2012, he was invited to perform in Moscow, Russia. He played at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory for an international festival called "Nihon No Kokoro." This festival celebrates world music cultures.

Special Projects and Tours

On March 1, 2013, Rodrigo released his sixth album, "The Road of Hasekura Tsunenaga." This album was a tribute to the first Japanese diplomatic mission to Spain, which happened in the 1600s. The album received support from important organizations like the Japan Foundation and the Embassy of Japan in Spain.

Rodrigo continued to tour and perform worldwide. In November 2014, he played concerts in Sendai and Ishinomaki, Japan. These concerts were held to support the recovery efforts after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The Embassy of Spain in Tokyo helped sponsor this tour.

In 2014, Rodrigo was also invited to perform in Barcelona, Spain. He played at the first International World Congress of Jikiden Reiki, where he performed for Japanese author and researcher Dr. Masaru Emoto.

His first concert in the United States took place in 2016. He performed in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, at the Gantner Concert Hall.

Recent Music and Collaborations

On February 1, 2018, Rodrigo released his eighth album, "The Classical Music Legacy of Japan." On this album, he played classical Japanese music. He also included a famous Spanish piece called Concierto de Aranjuez, originally for classical guitar, but he played it on the shakuhachi.

In April 2018, Rodrigo performed in New York City for the first time. He was invited to play at the Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, where he gave two solo concerts.

On November 1, 2018, Rodrigo released a single called "Shakuhachi: The Zen Flute (The Distant Call of the Deer)." This was a special collaboration with his teacher, Kohachiro Miyata. The song is a traditional piece that describes the sound of male deer in the autumn forests of Japan.

In September 2019, Rodrigo performed a series of concerts in the Philippine Islands at the Ma-Cho Temple. He often chooses beautiful and historic places for his performances. In January 2020, he played at the Temple Bell Church in Baguio, Philippines.

On February 9, 2020, Rodrigo released "For Luna (Variations of Neptune)," a song dedicated to his daughter. This piece combines electronic music with the shakuhachi flute. The music video for this song included footage from the ESA and the Hubble Space Telescope.

In March 2021, Rodrigo released his first official EP, "One More Night" "We'll Meet Again." This EP mixed the Japanese shakuhachi flute with ambient electronic music. In May 2021, he released the album "Blowing Zen - Shakuhachi Meditation Music," which focuses on the ancient practice of Suizen (blowing zen).

In 2023, Rodrigo contributed to the soundtrack of the video game Age of Empires IV. His music can be heard in the track called "Court of the Chrysanthemum." This soundtrack was released on September 29, 2023.

On March 5, 2024, Rodrigo released "Tribute to his Master Kohachiro Miyata." This album is a collection of the most important works composed by his teacher, Kohachiro Miyata.

Most recently, on September 4, 2024, Rodrigo completed an important recording session in Tokyo. He was joined by his master Kohachiro Miyata and other musicians.

Discography

• Inner Thoughts, 2006
• Across the East, 2007
• Beyond the Times, 2008
• Shakuhachi Meditations, 2010
• Traditional and Modern Pieces - Shakuhachi -, 2012
• The Road of Hasekura Tsunenaga, 2013
• Music for Zen Meditation (Shakuhachi Japanese Flute), 2015
• The Classical Music Legacy of Japan, 2018
• Shakuhachi:The Zen Flute (The Distant Call of the Deer) single, 2018
• Music for Yoga and Reiki:Relaxation music for shakuhachi 2019
• Poem of Japan:Music for Shakuhachi Single, 2019
• For Luna (Variations of Neptune) Film Music for Shakuhachi flute Single, 2020
• Healing Buddha Music (New Age & Chill Out) Shakuhachi Flute Music , 2020
• "Fantasy of Oiwake (Shakuhachi flute)" 2020 (Single)
• "The Enlightenment Flute of Buddha (Shakuhachi Meditation)" 2020 (Single)
• "A Journey To The End Of the Universe " 2020 (Single)
• "Invocation (Shakuhachi Ambient Music) " 2020 (Single)
• "To My Mother (The Existence of Motion) " 2020 (Single)
• "Sound of the Crickets in the Inner Mountain - Shakuhachi Music " 2020 (Single)
• "Healing Buddha Music (New Age & Chill Out) Shakuhachi Flute Music " 2020
• "Asian Sunrise - Shakuhachi Flute " 2020 (Single)
• "The Island Echo " 2020 (Single)
• "In Your Light (Ambient Meditation Music) " 2020 (Single)
• "Hold To My Hands Till The End (Shakuhachi Cinematic Chillstep)" 2020 (Single)
• "Exosphere (Ambient Inspirational Music) " 2020 (Single)
• "Surrender (Chillstep) " 2020 (Single)
• "Real - Shakuhachi Emotional Chillstep " 2020 (Single)
• "Inside Of You (Shakuhachi Ambient Chillstep)" 2020 (Single)
• "You're Always By My Side (Chillstep - Ambient Music Shakuhachi)" 2021 (Single)
• " Sorrow (Shakuhachi Emotional Chillstep) " 2021 (Single)
• "Dancing Whales (Dreaming Shakuhachi Music)" (2021, Single)
• "Heading Towards You (Ambient & Chillstep)" (2021, Single)
• "One More Night/We’ll Meet Again" (2021, EP) Insight Music Label
• "I'm So Sorry" (2021, EP) Insight Music Label
• "Tell Me (Chill & Future Garage)" (2021, EP) Insight Music Label
• "Blowing Zen - Shakuhachi Meditation Music" (2021, Album) Tunog Kawayan Label
• "Ambientalism (Chill & Future Garage) " (2021, Album) Tunog Kawayan Label
• "Shakuhachi - The Spirit of Zen (Hifumi Hachigaeshi) " (2021, single) Tunog Kawayan Label
• "Zen Mystery - Shakuhachi Meditation Music " (2021, single) Tunog Kawayan Label
• "Zen Garden (Meditation Music for Shakuhachi and Koto)" (2022, album) Tunog Kawayan Label
• "Zen (Shakuhachi, Koto, Guqin, Yanqin, Gayageum) " 2022
• "Shakuhachi Solos " 2023
• "Shakuhachi - Japan " 2023
• "Kohachiro Miyata: The Complete Masterworks for Shakuhachi" 2024

Compilations

• 2008 : "Various Artists Music That Illuminates Your Life"

Soundtrack Video Games

• 2024 : "Age of Empires IV Soundtrack"

See also

In Spanish: Rodrigo Rodríguez para niños