One more time as some of you have been asking for details....
You can tune in thursday night, january 9 at 10 pm (San Francisco
time) on www.kpfa.org to listen to interviews and some live
performances by some of the performances of this years summit!
For further information, contact Old First Concerts at 415/454-1608 or
Philip Gelb phil@philipgelb.com 510 452-2568
Shirley Muramoto murasaki@murasakinensemble.com 510/482-1640
Old First Concerts presents the second U.S. summit of Japanese music
on Friday, January 10 at 8 pm. Masters representing disciplines from
traditional "hougaku" music to more contemporary music will gather
for a unique and extraordinary concert in San Francisco's Old First
Church.
After the sold-out first concert two years ago, the "Bay Area
Japanese Music Summit 2003," will mark the second presentation of
artists from different schools of Japanese music perform together in
the United States.
The concert will take place Friday, January 10 at 2 p.m. 8 p.m. The Old
First Church is located at 1751 Sacramento Street, at Van Ness in San
Francisco.
The performers will include:
(listed alphabetically)
Philip Flavin - shamisen, voice
Michael Hattori - koto
Shoko Hikage - koto
Tamie Kooyenga - koto
Brett Larner - koto
Miya Masaoka - koto
Shirley Muramoto - koto
Brian Mitsuhiro Wong - koto
Philip Gelb - shakuhachi
Robin Hartshorne - shakuhachi
special guests:
Carla Kihlstedt - violin
Tim Perkis - electronics
These master musicians will perform traditional pieces as well as
contemporary compositions by: Tadao Sawai, Yuji Takahashi, Michiyo
Miyage, Pauline Oliveros, Katsuko Chikushi, Hyo Shin Na, Miya
Masaoka, Brett Larner and others
This event, "Bay Area Japanese Music Summit 2003," will mark the
unusual gathering of artists from different schools of Japanese music
performing together in the bay area.
The history of Japanese traditional "hougaku" music (traditional
music, including koto, Japanese zither; shakuhachi, bamboo flute;
and shamisen, Japanese lute) in the United States began when the
Japanese started to immigrate in the late 1800s. During World War
II, a few of the Japanese and Japanese-Americans interned in
relocation camps would play Japanese instruments discreetly amongst
themselves, as practicing Japanese arts was either discouraged or
forbidden. Starting in the 1960's, a number of non Japanese started
studying hougaku instruments!
Performer Biographies
Philip Masashi Flavin, past winner of the Eisner Prize for
Creative Achievement in Music Performance and a graduate of the Seiha
Conservatory of Music in Tokyo, Flavin is a Ph.D in the field of
Ethnomusicology from the University of California, Berkeley.
Michael Hattori began musical studies at the age of six,
wanting to be a concert pianist. After a year in Japan in 1979
changed he became interested in the koto, and entered the Seiha
Conservatory for Classical Japanese Music.
Shoko Hikage, a highly innovative player of new music is
koto instructor at the Japanese Community and Cultural Center of
Northern California, located in San Francisco's Japantown, and
earned a shihan from the Sawai School of koto music. She is very
active as a performer of new music. http://www.shokohikage.com
Tamie Kooyenga is a classical koto player who holds a
prestigious title of "kouto" from the Todo Japanese Music Institute.
She is a past winner of the NHK (Japan Broadcasting Network) award
for vocal talent. Tamie was born in Hiroshima and lived through the
atomic bombing and currently teaches koto in Walnut Creek and in the
south bay.
Brett Larner is currently working on a MA in composition from
Mills College. He holds a shihan from the Sawai koto school.
http://www.japanimprov.com/blarner
Miya Masaoka works simultaneously in the varied musical worlds of
jazz, Western classical music, electronic music, traditional
Japanese music and free improvisation. She has been performing
throughout Europe and North America the past several years.
Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto holds a daishihan from the Chikushi
School. She first studied koto with her mother who learned koto while
in the internment camps during world war 2. She is director of the
Murasaki Ensemble, a local jazz world fusion group and teaches
traditional and contemporary koto styles to students at UC Berkeley.
http://www.murasakiensemble.com
Shakuhachi player, Phillip Gelb is known for his innovative
approach to bringing shakuhachi into new and experimental music and
is one of the most active shakuhachi players and teachers in the
United States. He runs the "Bay Area Shakuhachi School" which now
has over 20 students enrolled. http://www.philipgelb.com
Robin Hartshorne, co-director and founder of the Bay Area
Japanese music group, Rei In Kai, has been teaching and performing in
the Bay Area for the last fifteen years. He is Professor of
Mathematics at the University of California at Berkeley. His home in
Berkeley has been a focal point of the Bay Area hougaku community for
many years.
About the music
Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto, the founder and one of the coordinators of this
event, will perform Nagare, a representative work of the Chikushi koto
tradition, with her son, Brian Mitsuhiro Wong.
Philip Gelb, known for his work with many contemporary composers
including Pauline Oliveros and innovative forays in improvisation and
new music with the shakuhachi, will perform Yuji Takahashi's "Three
Pieces for shakuhachi". In addition, one of his projects, Trio Natto,
with Shoko Hikage and electronic music virtuoso Tim Perkis and guest
violinist, Carla Kihlstedt will perform a work by Pauline Oliveros.
Philip Flavin, Robin Hartshorne, and Michael Hattori, will perform
Koma no Haru, composed by Miyagi Michio, the pioneer of early 20th
century Japanese music.
Philip Flavin will also present a new solo shamisen piece composed by
Hyo Shin Na, a Korean composer who currently lives in the bay area
and will be present at the concert.
Another highlight of the concert will be original compositions by 2
of the performers! Miya Masaoka will present an excerpt from her new
composition, "The Transliterated Koto". Canadian koto player, Brett
Larner currently living in the Bay Area will present his composition,
"Elimination Dance".
"Since I came to the United States, I know my interpretations of my
music have expanded, even when I play traditional music. I've found
that each player has his or her own character. That's why it's fun
to play together with musicians from other schools. Each person
brings a different background, a different style, making the music
more fascinating." Shoko Hikage
"I find the most stimulating and exciting aspect of this program is being
able to hear in one evening a remarkable variety of different musical styles
and approaches to Japanese music and Japanese musical instruments," said
Philip Flavin. "Even in Japan, a performance with such musical diversity,
works from the purely classical repertoire to very experimental contemporary
works, is unusual as most performers tend to focus upon a particular
repertoire."
Every year when I play at the local festivals, I take great pleasure in
meeting so many Americans who enjoy the music," said Tamie Kooyenga, koto
master from the Todo School. "I find many of them learn the word 'koto',
and come away knowing more about the culture of Japan. Even Japanese people
come up to tell me that it was their first time to hear live koto music, and
how they are proud of their culture."
Tickets prices are as follows:
$12.00 for general admission
$9.00 for students and seniors
$6.00 for Old First Concert Members
Old First Concerts, founded in 1970, is supported in part by the California
Arts Council, Grants for the Arts of the San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund, the
National Endowment for the Arts, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation,
Walter & Elise Haas Fund, the Bernard Osher Foundation, the Ann and Gordon
Getty Foundation, the Northern California Concierge Association, the
Crescent Porter Hale Foundation, Bank American Foundation, and the Stanley
A. Ibler, Jr. Memorial Fund for Music.
-- Philip Gelb phil@philipgelb.com http://www.philipgelb.com upcoming concerts: Friday, January 10 San Francisco Japanese Music Summit @ old first church ____________________________________________________
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