Riley Lee was born in Texas in 1951 of a Chinese father and Caucasian mother. He lived in Japan for over eight years, beginning his shakuhachi studies there in 1971. From 1973 through 1977, he toured internationally as a fulltime performer of taiko (festival drums) and shakuhachi with Ondekoza (now called Kodo), a group of traditional Japanese musicians.

In 1980 he became the first non-Japanese to attain the rank of dai shihan (grand master) in the shakuhachi tradition. Riley Lee is a recipient of two of the most revered lineages of shakuhachi playing, descending from the original Zen Buddhist 'priests of nothingness' of Edo Japan. His first teachers were Hoshida Ichizan II and Chikuho Sakai II. His present teacher is Katsuya Yokoyama.

Riley completed his BA and MA degress at the University of Hawai'i, and his PhD degree in ethnomusicology (on the transmission of the Zen Buddhist repertoire of the shakuhachi) at the University of Sydney.

He has recorded nearly fourty recordings internationally, many featuring his own compositions. He is fortunate to make his living solely as a full-time professional shakuhachi player, teacher, and scholar. He and his family live on the eastern coast of the continent of Australia and in the islands of Hawai'i.

Riley was most recently seen internationally televised ushering in the new millennium on New Year's morning at dawn from the top of the majestic Sydney Opera House - quite an auspicious start for the next 1,000 years for shakuhachi enthusiasts worldwide.

• Speciality: Shakuhachi
• Born: 1951
• Email: riley@rileylee.net
• Homepage: http://www.rileylee.net/

Teachers:

    Sakai Chikuho II
    Yokoyama Katsuya

Students:

    Franklin, Dr James
    Herr, Robert
    Kirkpatrick, Bronwyn
    MacGregor, Andrew
    Ranft, Graham
    Rathus, Carl

Albums released: