Koto: Contemporary Japanes & Chinese Music 9/12/09 Hilo, Hawaii EHCC/HMOCA Sponsored
Recorded live at Hilo's Palace Theatre, Niko player, Hiroko Suzuki and world-renowned Koto player, Kyoko Nishida perform Spring Sea (Haru no umi) created by exemplar composer Michio Miyagi.
This hand-held video offers a view into the high quality performances that followed, as the evening's musical performances continued to include:
* Rippling Waves (Sazanami)-Shosei Saito
Kyoko Nishida-Koto; Shiho Watanabe-Koto
*Spring (Harusandai) -Katsutoshi Nagazawa
Kyoko Nishida-Shamisen; Shiho Watanabe-Koto
*Cherry Blossoms (Sakura, Sakura)-Kosaburo Hirai
Mariko Neki-Piano
*The Karatachi Flower (Karatachi no Hana)-Kosaku Yamada
Mariko Neki-Piano
*Moon Over Ancient Ruins (Kojo no Tsuki)-Kosaku Yamada (Variations on a theme)
Mariko Neki-Piano
*Grapes Are Ripe (Budojukyro)-Music of China (Depicts abundance of mature grapes in vinyards where people sing and dance) Mariko Neki-Piano; Hiroko Suzuki-Niko;
*Sunshine Over Taxlcorgan Music of China (Depicts singers & dancers belonging to a small tribe in China. Originally composed for violin, adapted for the niko)
Mariko Neki-Piano; Hiroko Suzuki-Niko
*Birds Singing in Quiet Valley (Kuzanchogo)-(Depicts birds chirping and chatting in early morning skies. A well known niko piece played by Hiroko Suzuki on Niko
*Horse Racing (Saima) (Depicts horse racing at Mongolia's annual festival
Kyoko Nishida-Koto; Shiho Watanabe-Koto; Mariko Neki-Piano; Hiroko Suzuki-Niko
This accomplished group of performers brought to the stage serious training and joyful execution of the varied musical pieces:
Kyoko Nishida: graduate of Tokyo's National University of Fine Arts and Music, studied with Michio Miyagi, Japan's foremost and world-renowned koto player and ocmposer. She has performed in France, China, Taiwan, Singapore and US
Shiho Watanabe, graduated from Gunama Prefecture's Fine Arts College and presently lives in Hilo and teaches Koto. Ahs also has an associate teacher's certificate from Miyagi's Koto Music Academy.
Mariko Neki, pianist, is graduate of Tokyo's National Univeristy of Fine Arts and music and Germany's Munchen National Music Academy. She has been a faculty member of Shizuoka University since 1976.
Hiroko Suzuki, niko player, received her degree in music from Shizuoka City Jr. College and is presently a third year student at Beijing's National Music Academy.
For more information regarding these fine performers, please contact the EHCC/HMOCA office 808-961-5711