Why not music inspired by art while surrounded by art? In this new series, "In the Tune of Art," we select music that matches the theme and artwork of the current exhibition and invite you to enjoy the melody in that environment. Musicians will also give special perform improvised performances inspired by the art.
For the first session, we will be presenting a traditional Japanese instrument, the kokyū, to accompany the exhibition "ETHEREAL: Interpretations of the Ryūgūjо̄ Myth". The musician, Misato Tachidani from Toyama, Japan, will travel to our venue and play this unique string instrument as well as a brif introduction about the kokyū. The evening will also feature a collaboration with American Tsugaru shamisen player Mike Penny.
Immerse yourself in the sound of the kokyū as it blends and spreads into the fantastical world of the deep sea!
It is an instrument that produces sound by rubbing three woven silk strings with horsehair, like a violin. It is a traditional instrument that has been passed down in Japan for a long time, and is characterized by its unique, mournful tone.
Misato Tachidani
Born in 1990 in the picturesque town of Yatsuo, Toyama Prefecture, she was enchanted by the haunting melodies of the kokyu—a traditional Japanese bowed string instrument—at the local "Owara Kaze no Bon" festival, a cherished cultural celebration. Her artistic journey began at the tender age of 2 with dance, and by 14, she had taken up the shamisen, immersing herself further in Japan's rich musical heritage. Driven by an unwavering passion to breathe new life into the fading art of the kokyu, she set out on a path of mastery, blending its soulful sound with Japanese folk songs and exploring an innovative, freeform style that transcends traditional boundaries. Through her unique approach, she reveals the timeless beauty of the kokyu to audiences far and wide. Now based in Tokyo and Toyama, she has established a kokyu school and shop in Tokyo's Bunkyo ward, where she is deeply committed to inspiring and nurturing a new generation of musicians, ensuring this exquisite instrument’s legacy continues to thrive.
Mike Penny
Mike Penny has received numerous awards for his innovative compositions and performances using the Tsugaru Shamisen. In 2007, he received the Japan Foundation’s Uchida Fellowship, which allowed him to study the instrument in Japan with Tokyo’s highly respected Tsugaru shamisen sensei Fukushi Toyoaki. Mike has given hundreds of public performances and continues to perform regularly as a solo artist and in various groups. He has become known through his many viral video performances on YouTube, and has gained a following for his unprecedented style of shamisen playing which combines traditional and extended techniques in a variety of musical contexts including jazz, Balkan folk, Western classical, and popular music in a fusion of both east and west, past and future. He is fluent in Japanese.
https://themikepennyorchestra.bandcamp.com
5700 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90036-
jflainfo@jpf.go.jp
323.761.7510
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