Adrian Freedman (uk)

Adrian Freedman (b. 1962) is a composer and multi-instrumentalist specialising in the shaku-hachi, Japanese zen flute. Adrian is a musician of extraordinary breadth. His musical journey encompasses the fields of Baroque music, contemporary and improvised music, folk-fusion, soundtracks for theatre and dance, Japanese traditional music and devotional songs.

Adrian studied music at Manchester University, Guildhall School of Music, and Kyoto Arts Uni-versity. He lived in Japan for 7 years, where he studied the shakuhachi with renowned master Yokoyama Katsuya. He later lived in Brazil where he became immersed in sacred music rituals of the forest. Arising from his musical and spiritual journey, Adrian has received a collection of more than 100 original songs and chants.

As a composer and musical director, he has worked for Kneehigh Theatre, Wildworks Thea-tre, Scottish Contemporary Dance, Stopgap Dance Company and many others. Adrian has performed solo recitals and concerts with various ensembles at international festivals and in sacred spaces around the world.  

His music is heartfelt and full of subtle dynamics that conjure an atmosphere of rarefied peace, spaciousness and delicate beauty. The scope of his music is diverse, including songs was well as instrumental music, but an ineffable sense of the sacred is felt throughout.