The year 2019 will mark the 50th anniversary of the 20-stringed Koto, which was developed in 1969. Ahead of that milestone year, Hogakuten concerts starting in 2018 will consist of standard repertoire for 20-stringed Koto selected by decade, along with new works that promise to become classics. The program of this concert looks back at works from the 1970s–the early days of the 20-stringed Koto. (Works by composer Minoru Miki, who was involved in the development of the 20-stringed Koto, will be presented in another concert to be arranged.)
[Program]
Yoshiro Irino: Two Fantasies for 20-stringed Koto and 17-stringed Koto (1969)
Shin-ichiro Ikebe: Tsumugu for 20-stringed Koto (1971)
Toshiya Sukegawa: Autumn Night for 20-stringed Koto solo (1972)
Shin-ichiro Ikebe: On a Treetop for 20-stringed Koto solo (1995)
Katsutoshi Nagasawa: Jukan [Coronary treetops] for shakuhachi, two 20-stringed Kotos and 17-stringed Koto (1979)
[Performer]
Kotos; Nanae Yoshimura, Noriko Tamura, Hayumi Maruoka, Yuriko Sakamoto, Reiko Shimoda
Shakuhachi; Teruhisa Fukuda
【Nanae Yoshimura】
As a leading specialist of the 20-stringed Koto, Nanae Yoshimura performs frequently in Japan and overseas and has been influential in promoting contemporary music for koto. She has collaborated with many composers on projects ranging from solo works to concertos with orchestras, premiering over 100 compositions. Yoshimura has received many awards, including the Arts Festival Prize awarded by the Agency for Cultural Affairs (1992), the 3rd Idemitsu Music Award (1993), the 1st Japan arts foundation Award (1994), the Kenzo Nakajima Music Award (1999), Japan Society for Contemporary Music Award (2010), the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Award for Arts (2010), and the Medal with Purple Ribbon awarded by the government of Japan (spring 2012). In her concert series “Hogakuten – Koto Collection Today,” she has achieved outstanding results in fostering the talent of young musicians and developing new works. Yoshimura is representative of The Japanese Society for Contemporary Koto Music.
Nanae Yoshimura
Producer
Hogakuten Koto Collection Today
2-31-5, Kitakoiwa, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo 133-0051
E-mail: nanaehp@gmail.com
Tsunohazu-kumin-Theater (Shinjuku City, Tokyo)