SOLD OUT – Hiromitsu Agatsuma Rock Shamisen Band

February 6, 2003
past event image
Performance past event

U.S. debut!

“Cool and hot… a fusion of Western and Japanese sound.”
Sankei Shimbun


The venerable shamisen is now a hot rock instrument for young audiences in Japan thanks to a whole new generation of players, especially Hiromitsu Agatsuma. Agatsuma began playing the shamisen (a three-stringed Japanese traditional instrument) at the age of six and by 14 was winning national contests for tsugaru-shamisen, a fast, aggressive shamisen style that originated in northern Japan. Bridging pop and tradition, Agatsuma’s music is a mixture of classical tsugaru-shamisen arrangements–which Agatsuma compares to blues–and rock-based ballads. At Japan Society, Agatsuma performs with his band (keyboard, two Western base guitars and drums). Don’t miss Agatsuma’s American debut, coinciding with the release of his newest CD!

Japan Society Tour
January 30       Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
February 4       Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA
February 9       Towson University, Towson, MD

Special Subscription Offer


Get up to a 30% discount ($25 ticket becomes only $20!) for Spring Performances when you subscribe to three or more.  Get discounts to Workshops, too, when you subscribe to 3 or more. 


Subscription tickets are available through phone, mail or fax only.  Contact the Japan Society Box Office at (212) 752-3015.

  • Thursday, February 6, 2003
  • 8:00 pm