James Nyoraku Schlefer, born on August 31, 1956 in Brooklyn, New York, is an American flutist and composer known for his expertise in shakuhachi. Schlefer was introduced to the instrument at a musical soiree in 1979. He received his master's degree in Western flute and musicology from Queens College. Schlefer holds two Shi-Han (Master) certificates and one Dai-Shi-Han (Grand Master) certificate, awarded by Mujuan Dojo in Kyoto in 2001. He has performed at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center, and toured extensively across the United States, Japan, Indonesia, Brazil, and Europe. Schlefer's discography includes solo recordings like Wind Heart (1996), Solstice Spirit (1999), Flare Up (2002), In The Moment (2009), and Spring Sounds Spring Seas (2011). He is also an educator, teaching shakuhachi at Columbia University.
