Mitsuki Dazai
September 27 at 3pm
Traditional Japanese Music Performance
Mitsuki
Daza Performs with the Koto
Enjoy this rare opportunity to hear traditional Japanese music performed by Mitsuki Dazai, a graduate of Japan's renowned Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo. Mitsuki's choice of instrument is the "koto."
Who Is Mitsuki Daza?
Mitsuki is a graduate of Japan's renowned Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo, Japan. She also studied traditional koto music at the Ikuta School of koto, and following this, she pursued an intense course of advanced studies in contemporary koto music at Sawai Koto Conservatory in Tokyo.
Mitsuki received instruction by modern Koto Masters Tadao Sawai, world
renowned Kazue Sawai and Ritsuko Otawara, and is now herself a certified koto
instructor.
A
founding member of the koto ensembles in both the United States and Japan,
Mitsuki has performed throughout Japan, and in Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle,
Portland and Eugene.
A member of "Ensemble East West", founded by
flutist Tessa Brinckman. Mitsuki is currently active in solo and ensemble concerts
both in the U.S. and Japan and is increasingly appreciated in the regional
festivals of our great Northwest.
Mitsuki's musical background is both diverse and extensive as a performer and
innovator, arranging and composing Koto music in different styles.
Not limiting
herself to music traditionally associated with the koto, her performances often
incorporate western, pop and improvisational elements and arrangements, challenging
the many voices of the koto and allowing her to relate the koto's appeal to
a variety of audiences.
What is a Koto?
The standard Koto, similar to the Chinese gu-zheng, is a thirteen-string plucked zither of beautiful Paulownia wood with a movable bridge under each string. It was introduced to Japan from China through the Korean Peninsula in the 7th century. This was about the same time that Buddhism and numerous other cultural influences arrived in Japan from the Continent.
The instrument has been part of the Gagaku court ensemble for over one thousand years, gradually becoming popular among the merchant classes of the Edo period (1600-1868). An important member of the traditional Sankyoku ensemble, along with the three-string Shamisen and Shakuhachi (bamboo flute), the Koto developed further in a solo capacity, eventually gaining its place as one of Japan's most prominent musical instruments.
When, Where, Ticketing
| When | Sunday, September 27, 3-4pm |
| Pricing | Donations appreciated |
| Location | Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River |