Opening ceremony
Date/Time: May 20
9:00〜9:30
Place: sola city Hall
25 Stringed Koto Player Kasumi Watanabe
＜Profile＞
Kasumi Watanabe is a famous koto player. The koto is a
well-known traditional Japanese musical instrument. She started
koto at the age of four, and graduated from Japan’s top music
department at Tokyo University of the Arts.
She has an accomplished career, having repeatedly received
prizes in many contests.
As of now she is one of most famous koto players in Japan. Currently she is very active, performing in a variety of
genres and holding sessions with various musicians.
The 25 Stringed Koto
The koto, which is a Japanese musical instrument, came from China 1,400 years ago.
Generally, as for the koto, 13 strings are used; however, the koto used in this performance has
25. This type of koto was born 20 years ago. It has charms different from the normal koto. One
of its characteristics is a wide and powerful range, enabling it to play a wider variety of
musical genres.
There are few chances to hear a performance on these 25 stringed koto in Japan.
Performance
◆First Song: “Sakura”
The first song of the opening ceremony is “Sakura.” It is an old Japanese folk song – the
composer is unknown. It is thought to have been made in the late Edo period as a practice song
for koto.
It is a famous old Japanese song. Kasumi Watanabe arranged it based on the original music
to evoke the image of scenery with a Japanese cherry tree.
◆Second Song: Tsugaru
There is an area called Tsugaru in the Tohoku district, Japan. Winter there is very severe. If
it snows calmly at midnight, it might become a sudden intense snowstorm. This music is made
while imagining not only the winter state of the northern country where weather changes
immediately, but also the spring to come before long.
Kasumi Watanabe will arrange original music briefly for this opening ceremony and play it.