Gagaku Revolution: New Sounds of Ancient Bamboo

October 10, 2008

The otherworldly sounds of ancient Japanese instruments are brought into high relief in this rare concert of super-modern music. Three instruments, each made of bamboo and exclusively used in medieval Japanese gagaku (the oldest form of ensemble orchestra music, developed in the 8th century) will be played by Ko Ishikawa (sho), Hitomi Nakamura (hichiriki) and Takeshi Sasamoto (ryuteki) members of Reigaku-sha, the most celebrated gagaku ensemble in Japan known for its activities in performing 20th- and 21st-century music. The evening features traditional works from the classical gagaku repertory as well as contemporary compostiions by Yoshiko Kanda, Mamoru Fujieda and world premiere commissions from three trailblazing American composers: Ken Ueno, Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez and Gene Coleman.

Related Events:
Gagaku Workshop for Composers
Wednesday, October 8, 1:30 PM

Members Only Gagaku Salon Concert
Wednesday, October 8, 7 PM — Session 1 – Sake Reception 7:45 PM
Wednesday, October 8, 8:30 PM — Session 2 – Sake Reception 7:45 PM

New compositions by Gene Coleman, Ken Ueno, and Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez were commissioned by Japan Society and supported by the Jebediah Foundation: New Music Commissions.

This program is funded in part through Meet The Composer’s MetLife Creative Connections program. Additional support for the Gagaku Workshop was provided by the Medieval Japanese Studies Foundation.

Friday, October 10, 2008
7:30 pm