The Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture: Concert of late 19th century Japanese music

Home
Exhibitions
- Current
- Upcoming
- Previous
  - 2010
  - 2009
  - 2008
  - 2007
  - 2006
  - 2005
  - 2004
  - 2003
  - 2002
  - 2001
  - 2000
  - 1999
Collection
Visiting
- Location
- Group Visits
Events
Education
Support Us
About Us

Exhibition opening and concert of nineteenth century Japanese music

Sunday, February 7, 2010, 2 pm

Introduction to the new exhibition The Splendor of the Japanese Screen, conducted by Andreas Marks, Director/Chief Curator, followed by a concert of nineteenth century Japanese music. See below for the biographies of the three performers Elliot Kallen (shakuhachi), Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto (koto), and Brian Mitsuhiro Wong (koto).

Reservation required. Tickets for non-members $10.

The Performers

Elliot Kallen

On Elliot’s father’s side of the family, the ongoing joke has always been that they are all either musicians or nuclear physicists. Elliot grew up listening to classical music played by those whose love for the music was apparent in each note. He was trained as a concert pianist but migrated to the worlds of jazz and rock music in his late teens and played professionally for many years, equally at home sharing a stage with the Grateful Dead or immersed in the avant-garde jazz scene of the San Francisco Bay Area with his long-standing trio KLiP, whose album on Edgetone Records features many of his compositions.

Elliot began studying Japanese classical music in 2002, and plays the shakuhachi, a traditional, end-blown bamboo flute from Japan. He is part of a lineage that has its roots in the music of the komusō, the itinerant Zen monks who used the shakuhachi as a tool for meditation during Japan’s Edo Period (1605-1865). Elliot is a student of David Wheeler, Kansuke II, in Boulder, Colorado, as well as Kansuke’s teacher, Kawase Junsuke III, the third generation head of the Chikuyūsha Shakuhachi School in Tokyo. In 2006, Elliot was honored to be chosen to perform for Kawase-sensei’s 70th birthday celebration at the National Theater in Tokyo. Elliot is also a founding member of Sebastopol’s Ten Ten Taiko and performs regularly throughout the Bay Area and beyond. His musical influences include Bill Evans, Albert Ayler, Cecil Taylor, Goro Yamaguchi, and the early experimental electronic music of Luciano Berio.

Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto

The legacy of Shirley Muramoto’s koto music has its roots in the internment camps of World War II. Shirley’s grandparents felt it was important for their daughter (Shirley’s mother) to learn the koto while interned at Topaz and Tule Lake concentration camps. Shirley started learning koto from about the age of 5. Raised in Oakland, California, Shirley’s musical training reflected not only koto music, but violin, voice and guitar. The multi-cultural influences she experienced growing up in the Bay Area gave Shirley a basis for expanding the creativity in her koto playing. In 1976, she made her first trip to Japan to take her "shihan" teaching exams. Passing with high scores, she achieved the honor of "yūshūshō," the first foreigner to be awarded this degree in the Chikushi School. In 2000, she received her "daishihan" master’s degree from the Chikushi School for her dedication and teaching.

Throughout her childhood, Shirley’s major influence in koto music came from Chikushi Katsuko, one of the few women composers of the koto. She was also inspired greatly by the blind koto master Eto Kimio, who during the 1960s, performed with such eclectic artists as Bud Shank, Harry Belafonte, Henry Cowell, and Danny Kaye. Shirley has had the opportunity to expand the world of koto music through numerous recordings, performances and collaborations, adding the flavor of koto to such music genres as jazz, bluegrass, Latin, gospel, orchestral, rap, folk and Ethiopian. Shirley has produced four CD’s with the Murasaki Ensemble, a world jazz fusion group which she founded, and two contemporary CD’s which feature the koto in solo and duets with shakuhachi, violin, flute and guitar.

For over 30 years, Shirley has given private lessons and classes on the koto, and continues to teach students ranging from young to elder. She has also been active in research concerning Japanese traditional arts in the internment camps during World War II.

Brian Mitsuhiro Wong

Brian Mitsuhiro Wong, an American of Japanese and Chinese descent, won the "Grand Prix" award for achieving the highest scores on his teaching examinations from the Sawai Sōkyokuin Koto Conservatory in Tokyo in July 2006, surpassing many Japanese native candidates.

Brian continues a brilliant legacy of koto performance in America that spans three generations. His mother, Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto, also a koto teacher, taught Brian how to play the koto from the age of 4. At the age of 16, Brian attended a concert by Madame Sawai Kazue. Sawai-sensei’s performance was dynamic and exciting. Brian was inspired by her performance, and decided to continue his studies at the Sawai Sōkyokuin Koto Conservatory in Tokyo.

In June 2007, Brian also earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music Composition at California State University East Bay in Hayward, California. He has written works for both western and eastern instruments. Brian is also a jazz saxophonist. His musical mentors growing up were Khalil Shaheed and Ravi Abcarian, Dave Eshelman, Dann Zinn, Steve Parker, Michael Wirgler, Thom Kwaitkowski, his parents, grandparents, and family friends.

Brian has traveled to Montreux, Umbria, and Vienna Jazz Festivals in Europe with CSUEB. He has taught koto classes at UC Berkeley, and is an active composer. Brian performed at Yoshi’s Jazz Club with the Murasaki Ensemble, the CSUEB jazz ensembles, and with the Oaktown Jazz Workshop with Pete Escovedo. He has performed in concert with koto masters Sawai Kazue and Sawai Hikaru.



Home Exhibitions Current Upcoming Previous 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 Collection Art Collections Collection of Fukami Sueharu Catalog of Selected Works Image Services Policy Publications Press Room Reference Library Visiting Location Group Visits Events Past Events in 2009 Past Events in 2008 Past Events in 2007 Past Events in 2006 Past Events in 2005 Past Events in 2004 Past Events in 1999 Education Group Visits Internship Program List of Interns Reference Library Support Us Donations Legacies Corporate Sponsorship Membership Volunteers About Us Mission History Founder Interview Clark Fellows Organization Press Room Contact
		Exhibition opening and concert of nineteenth century Japanese music Sunday, February 7, 2010, 2 pm Introduction to the new exhibition The Splendor of the Japanese Screen, conducted by Andreas Marks, Director/Chief Curator, followed by a concert of nineteenth century Japanese music. See below for the biographies of the three performers Elliot Kallen (shakuhachi), Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto (koto), and Brian Mitsuhiro Wong (koto). Reservation required. Tickets for non-members $10. The Performers Elliot Kallen On Elliot’s father’s side of the family, the ongoing joke has always been that they are all either musicians or nuclear physicists. Elliot grew up listening to classical music played by those whose love for the music was apparent in each note. He was trained as a concert pianist but migrated to the worlds of jazz and rock music in his late teens and played professionally for many years, equally at home sharing a stage with the Grateful Dead or immersed in the avant-garde jazz scene of the San Francisco Bay Area with his long-standing trio KLiP, whose album on Edgetone Records features many of his compositions. Elliot began studying Japanese classical music in 2002, and plays the shakuhachi, a traditional, end-blown bamboo flute from Japan. He is part of a lineage that has its roots in the music of the komusō, the itinerant Zen monks who used the shakuhachi as a tool for meditation during Japan’s Edo Period (1605-1865). Elliot is a student of David Wheeler, Kansuke II, in Boulder, Colorado, as well as Kansuke’s teacher, Kawase Junsuke III, the third generation head of the Chikuyūsha Shakuhachi School in Tokyo. In 2006, Elliot was honored to be chosen to perform for Kawase-sensei’s 70th birthday celebration at the National Theater in Tokyo. Elliot is also a founding member of Sebastopol’s Ten Ten Taiko and performs regularly throughout the Bay Area and beyond. His musical influences include Bill Evans, Albert Ayler, Cecil Taylor, Goro Yamaguchi, and the early experimental electronic music of Luciano Berio. Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto The legacy of Shirley Muramoto’s koto music has its roots in the internment camps of World War II. Shirley’s grandparents felt it was important for their daughter (Shirley’s mother) to learn the koto while interned at Topaz and Tule Lake concentration camps. Shirley started learning koto from about the age of 5. Raised in Oakland, California, Shirley’s musical training reflected not only koto music, but violin, voice and guitar. The multi-cultural influences she experienced growing up in the Bay Area gave Shirley a basis for expanding the creativity in her koto playing. In 1976, she made her first trip to Japan to take her "shihan" teaching exams. Passing with high scores, she achieved the honor of "yūshūshō," the first foreigner to be awarded this degree in the Chikushi School. In 2000, she received her "daishihan" master’s degree from the Chikushi School for her dedication and teaching. Throughout her childhood, Shirley’s major influence in koto music came from Chikushi Katsuko, one of the few women composers of the koto. She was also inspired greatly by the blind koto master Eto Kimio, who during the 1960s, performed with such eclectic artists as Bud Shank, Harry Belafonte, Henry Cowell, and Danny Kaye. Shirley has had the opportunity to expand the world of koto music through numerous recordings, performances and collaborations, adding the flavor of koto to such music genres as jazz, bluegrass, Latin, gospel, orchestral, rap, folk and Ethiopian. Shirley has produced four CD’s with the Murasaki Ensemble, a world jazz fusion group which she founded, and two contemporary CD’s which feature the koto in solo and duets with shakuhachi, violin, flute and guitar. For over 30 years, Shirley has given private lessons and classes on the koto, and continues to teach students ranging from young to elder. She has also been active in research concerning Japanese traditional arts in the internment camps during World War II. Brian Mitsuhiro Wong Brian Mitsuhiro Wong, an American of Japanese and Chinese descent, won the "Grand Prix" award for achieving the highest scores on his teaching examinations from the Sawai Sōkyokuin Koto Conservatory in Tokyo in July 2006, surpassing many Japanese native candidates. Brian continues a brilliant legacy of koto performance in America that spans three generations. His mother, Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto, also a koto teacher, taught Brian how to play the koto from the age of 4. At the age of 16, Brian attended a concert by Madame Sawai Kazue. Sawai-sensei’s performance was dynamic and exciting. Brian was inspired by her performance, and decided to continue his studies at the Sawai Sōkyokuin Koto Conservatory in Tokyo. In June 2007, Brian also earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music Composition at California State University East Bay in Hayward, California. He has written works for both western and eastern instruments. Brian is also a jazz saxophonist. His musical mentors growing up were Khalil Shaheed and Ravi Abcarian, Dave Eshelman, Dann Zinn, Steve Parker, Michael Wirgler, Thom Kwaitkowski, his parents, grandparents, and family friends. Brian has traveled to Montreux, Umbria, and Vienna Jazz Festivals in Europe with CSUEB. He has taught koto classes at UC Berkeley, and is an active composer. Brian performed at Yoshi’s Jazz Club with the Murasaki Ensemble, the CSUEB jazz ensembles, and with the Oaktown Jazz Workshop with Pete Escovedo. He has performed in concert with koto masters Sawai Kazue and Sawai Hikaru.
© Copyright — Contact \| Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture クラーク日本美術・文化研究センター