Tim Hoffman was born in the United States in 1951. He has spent 19 years in Japan, 6 years in India, and 1 year in Sri Lanka. He earned an A.A. from Grossmont College, San Diego, a B.A. from International Christian University, Tokyo, an M.A. from University of Hawaii/East-West Center, and he holds Visharad 5-yr degree from Bhatkhande College of Music, Lucknow in Hindustani classical vocal and flute. Hoffman was trained by renowned masters - in piano, Grace Mundorf Myers, USA; in shakuhachi, Yamaguchi Goro, Japan, and in Indian classical vocal, Ganesh Prasad Mishra, India.

He has performed Japanese and Hindustani classical pieces on Shakuhachi and has also performed in Indian vocal concerts, TV, radio in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Japan, USA, and England. He has organized visits to India for Japanese musicians and to Japan for Indian musicians for cooperative workshops and performances. He has given public lecture series for the Tokyo government, the Japan Foundation, and various national and regional cultural facilities in Japan and India, and has also given workshops for musicians.

Hoffman has authored a Raga for Shakuhachi and Koto (instruction book in Japanese), numerous journal articles in Japan and India; and he has translated fiction and poetry collections for prominent Japanese authors as well as works for UNESCO, Japan Foundation, Japanese government agencies, and numerous Indian song texts (Hindi-English/Japanese) He is a consultant, documenter, and frequent contributor in international musicology conferences.

Hoffman co-founded the Indo-Japanese Music Exchange Association in 1989. He produced a CD for JVC World Sounds Series. Since 1993, he has been a lecturer in Ethnomusicology at Musashino Academia Musicae,Tokyo.

Website: http://www.shakuhachi.com/G-IJMEA.html
Email: ijmusath@po.wind.ne.jp