Modern Piano Pieces / The Enchanting Harp / Yokobue and Percussion and more
To begin the 14th Season, Music From Japan presented a concert in Washington, DC at the Corcoran Gallery of Art on January 10th. This concert featured performers on traditional Japanese instruments, and was presented in honor of the Daimyo Exhibit. Suiho Tosha performed on yokobue (flutes), Junko Handa on biwa, Reiko Kamata on koto, and Ralph Samuelson on shakuhachi.
The performance in DC was followed by “Modern Piano Pieces” at the Asia Society which featured Aki Takahashi performing three Japanese works and one American work. She was joined by clarinetist William Blount and the Music From Japan Chamber Orchestra conducted by Paul Zukofsky. The second concert at the Asia Society featured harpist Ayako Shinozaki in her New York debut recital. She performed a diverse array of compositions by some of Japan’s most prominent composers. The third and final concert in Music From Japan’s 14th season featured music for yokobue (Japanese bamboo flute) and percussion. Michiko Akao played yokobue and Nachiko Maekane performed on percussion. The program included New York and American premieres of Japanese pieces, and one work by American composer Lois V Vierk that was composed especially for the event and commissioned by Music From Japan. The season was followed by a symposium at the Asia Society called “Cross-Cultural Music Making” on March 19th.
© Music From Japan, Inc.
