Acclaimed koto and shamisen master Masayo Ishigure presents a diverse program of traditional and contemporary Japanese music, demonstrating how these ancient instruments remain vital and inviting to new generations of music lovers.

The unique sounds of the koto and shamisen have been passed down through the centuries and are integral in any discussion of Japanese art & culture. Though after a thousand years the instruments remain essentially unchanged, the composers and virtuosos continue to push and evolve its music for a modern global audience. Masayo Ishigure’s program will showcase the koto and shamisen in solo compositions and duets, integrating traditional and modern compositions for a broad, exciting listening experience. The program features several compositions by the late founder of the Sawai School, Tadao Sawai, an unparalleled virtuoso of the koto and shamisen, and widely acknowledged giant in the modernization of its sound.

She was a recording artist alongside Yitzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, and others on the Grammy Award-Winning soundtrack from the movie “Memoirs of a Geisha” by John Williams

Masayo will be joined by Kenneth Hutchinson on the shamisen and a few other friends!

http://www.masayoishigure.com