Melodies and rhythms of traditional Japanese koto playing and contemporary taiko drumming will fill the stage of the McKay auditorium Thursday, 11 November, at 7:30 p.m.
The Japanese Koto Trio, featuring veteran performers Masateru Ando , Tamaki Ando, and Christopher Yohmei Blasdel , will begin the evening. Ando and his daughter, Tamaki, are masters of the koto, a 13-string zither-like instrument that resembles a harp in sound. Blasdel is a respected performer and teacher of shakuhachi, a flute-like instrument made of bamboo.
Principal koto master at the famed Tokyo University of the Arts, Ando was a disciple of the most revered koto master of all time, Michio Miyagi. Dr. Ando has performed extensively in Japan and throughout North America, western and northern Europe, the Balkans, east Asia and Columbia.
His music is firmly set in a traditional style while his educational approach, personality
| Christopher Yohmei Blasdel |
and efforts in cross-cultural music, for example playing koto in ensemble with orchestra or other non-Japanese instruments, makes it easy for non-Japanese or those Japanese who are unfamiliar with their own culture to listen to and enjoy koto music.
Blasdel was born in Texas and began studying the shakuhachi in 1972 with shakuhachi master, Living National Treasure Goro Yamaguchi. A permanent resident of Japan, he has performed, taught and lectured throughout China, Thailand, Europe, North America, Mexico, India, Malaysia, and the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
Sharing the evening with the Koto Trio is the Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble, featuring master drummer Kenny Endo. He brings with him 11 other members of his drumming ensemble. Their music synthesizes traditional Japanese drumming techniques, world musical rhythms, and western jazz percussion styles.
| Taiko drummer |
Utilizing the traditional Japanese drum in innovative collaborations, Endo’s music blends taiko with rhythmic influences from around the world in original melodies and improvisation. Trained in western drums and percussion from early childhood, Endo began his studies of kumi daiko (ensemble drumming) in 1975 with Kinnara Taiko of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Taiko Dojo.
Endo has performed as a taiko soloist with the Honolulu Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and the Hawaii Opera Theater. He and his ensemble have performed in many venues world-wide including: Germany, Belgium, at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., at the Georgia Dome for Microsoft’s Global Meeting, and as the opening act for The Who concert in Honolulu.
Three ensembles based in Honolulu, Tokyo and the mainland U.S., are led by Endo, and perform under the name Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble.
Tickets are available at the BYU-Hawaii Aloha Center information desk. General admission is $10, with special discounts for BYU-Hawaii ohana. For more information please call 675-3545.