Hogaku: New Sounds of Japan

Wednesday
January 13, 2010, 7:00 p.m.- Laura Turner Concert Hall

TsuguKaji-KOTO, koto
Oyama & Nitta , tsugaru shamisen
HIDE & MIHO, percussion

This very special evening will give audiences a rare opportunity to hear some of Japan’s most gifted instrumentalists performing a mix of traditional and contemporary styles from their native country. The duo TsuguKaji-KOTO are masters of the stringed koto, earning acclaim for their enchanting musicianship. The duo Oyama & Nitta perform on the lute-like shamisen and have deep roots in the country’s rich folkloric traditions, while drum soloists Hide & Miho explore the myriad possibilities of Japanese percussion. Presented in partnership with the Japan Foundation and the Consulate-General of Japan in Nashville.

This concert will be preceded by a 6 p.m. lecture featuring Takafumi Tanaka, an authority on Japanese traditional music and the founder of the monthly magazine Hogaku Journal.