Two concerts showcasing traditional and contemporary Japanese music

Last week, we had the pleasure of welcoming several musicians from Japan to Paris and Brussels for a series of concerts dedicated to traditional Japanese music and contemporary creation. In Paris, as part of a recital by my shinobue teacher, Rio Tosha, we presented works from the nagauta tradition (music associated with Kabuki theatre), a new composition by Rio Tosha, and the world premiere of Ephemeral Flowers, a work commissioned from Belgian composer Claude Ledoux especially for this occasion.

In Brussels, I also had the pleasure of performing Echigojishi with the nagauta ensemble, as well as The Silence of Peace by Jean-Pierre Deleuze, a work commissioned last year to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Japan.

These concerts offered European audiences a rare opportunity to experience musical traditions that are seldom performed outside Japan, while also highlighting the dialogue between tradition and contemporary creation.

A heartfelt thank you to all the artists, partners, and audience members who helped make this project possible.

The workshops will be featured in a separate post!

With Claude Ledoux, Rio Tosha, Daniel