“Hengenjizai” is a concert project founded in 2011, organized by the two Japanese koto virtuosos, Soju Nasaka and Kazue Sawai. They are pioneers of contemporary koto music, who have been active on the front lines of the contemporary music world. In this project, the two koto virtuosos have performed together throughout Japan. Their splendid, dynamic, elegant and rich performance enraptures audiences.
Specifically, their performance of Tadao Sawai’s 1983 composition for koto and 17-string bass koto, “Hyakkaffu” (meaning, “Multitudes of Flowers”) is receiving great critical acclaim and has appeared on television.
They have invited the public as well as have commissioned composers for the creation of new works. They have since premiered five of these contributions from public and professionals.
The original kanji (Chinese characters) of the word, Hengenjizai “変幻自在,” loosely translates to, “Changing illusions.” The duo created a new kanji meaning of Hengenjizai, “変絃自在,” to signify, “Playing strings freely from the heart and creating music.”