Koto concert at Kiyosen

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by Takuma Nagatome (The Fountain staff)

Nov 20, 2018
"Koto is originally used on stage close to the audience", one young koto performer said.
A koto concert was held in Kiyo-sen on Nov. 11. Koto is a traditional Japanese instrument. Two koto performer played some old Japanese music in a small room and there were only 15 chairs. Koto is originally used on a small stage close to the audience.
"Nowadays, koto a performances use the big hall and many people come in. However, koto can't make good sounds with many kotos, so we often hold concerts in a small room with only two kotos", one young performer explained why the concert was held on Kiyo-sen.
In the concert, two koto performer played some songs. They often changed the sound of koto when they finish playing each song which has a lower part and higher part, so performer has to change. During change sounds, one young performer explained each song.
It was very quiet without koto's sound there. Elderly people were occasionally singing the songs. The concert performed around 30 minutes. After they finished playing all songs, they started how to play songs with koto. It was kind of trial session. However, most of the audience have experience playing songs with koto, so only a boy asked about Syamisen. Syamisen is also one of the traditional Japanese music instrument, and it was used only one time at the concert. The concert finished after one older performer taught how to play Syamisen to the boy.
The two koto performers started doing the concert 3 years ago. They host the concert twice a year. Last year, they held the koto concert at Gahama terrace in Syoningahama, and about 80 people came.


At the end of the concert, one young performer said, " Most people might think koto is difficult and expensive. However, every sound of koto can be changed depending on the feeling of the performer. I hope everyone feels free to listen and play koto".

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