Yuki Yasuda | Japanese KOTO Player

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© 2011 Yuki Yasuda All Rights Reserved.

Biography
Yuki Yasuda 13 & 17-strings Koto playerMs. Yuki Yasuda, born in Japan, began playing the koto at the age of twelve, now lives in New York City. She studied with the great modern koto music masters Tadao Sawai and Kazue Sawai at the Takasaki Junior Arts College, graduating in 1997 and then continued as a special student at the Sawai Koto Academy. She passed at the head the Sawai Koto Academy Instructor’s examination. She also graduated from the NHK (Japanese National Broadcasting Company) school for performers of traditional Japanese instruments. She performed with various groups and musicians in Japan, she also toured in Argentina, Honduras, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Germany and Canada etc. In 2005, she and her husband Atsushi Asano (Vocal & Bass) founded rock band “Ten”. The music of the band consists of Koto, Bass, Drums, and Voice. The music is characterized not only by the sound of the traditional Koto, but also by the unique blend of sounds produced by the other instruments.Since moving to New York in 2009, she has performed at “The Japanese traditional music lecture” in Harvard University, “Heineken Jazz Fest 2010” in Puerto Rico, “150 Kanrinmaru Anniversary closing ceremony” at San Francisco City Hall, “Taikoza (Japanese Drums) Russia Tour 2011” and others. In 2011, she performed as koto soloist with the Cape Ann Symphony Orchestra for world-premiers of Koto Concerto “Kochi” composed by Takashi Koto and “Concertino No.3” composed by Martin Schreiner. Since 2009, she has been teaching at Boston Koto Academy.

Photo by Nobuyuki Narita

Biography

© 2011 Yuki Yasuda All Rights Reserved.

Calendar

2011

Upcoming Concerts

2012January 24, 2012 at 7:00pmTaikoza ConcertColby-Sawyer Colleges Sawyer Center Theater, Sawyer Fine Arts Center (New London, NH)Yuki Yasuda - KotoTaikoza - Japanese Drums Group

2009-2010

Past Concerts 2009 - 2011

2012January 6Taikoza Concert (School show)Staples High School (Westport, CT)Yuki Yasuda - KotoTaikoza - Japanese Drums Group2011March 3 - March 14Taikoza Russia Tour 2011 Yuki Yasuda - KotoTaikoza - Japanese Drums GroupMarch 27Cape Ann Symphony Orchestra "Koto Magic"The Fuller Auditorium (Gloucester, MA)*Performed two world premiere Koto Concerto as a Koto soloist.April 12Robataya NY Hanami PartyRobataya (New York, NY) *Performed as a Koto soloist.April 21The Japanese traditional music lectureThe Park School (Boston, MA)*Performed as a Koto soloist.April 23Anime Boston 2011Ten - Koto, Vocal & Bass, Drums GroupThe Hynes Convention Center (Boston, MA)May 17Taikoza ConcertYuki Yasuda - KotoTaikoza - Japanese Drums GroupLong Island University's The Kumble Theater (Brooklyn, NY)May 18Ten ShowTen - Koto, Vocal & Bass, Drums GroupLit Lounge (New York, NY)June 12Taikoza ConcertYuki Yasuda - KotoTaikoza - Japanese Drums GroupSymphony Space (New York, NY)July 3j-Summit NY "Continues Japan Earthquake and Relief Efforts with July 4th Weekend Concert"Ten - Koto, Vocal & Bass, Drums GroupThe Bowery Electric (New York, NY)August 11Ten ShowTen - Koto, Vocal & Bass, Drums GroupThe National Underground (New York, NY)August 21The Anachronism (Steam punk event)Ten - Koto, Vocal & Bass, Drums GroupWebster Hall (New York, NY)September 3Taikoza ConcertYuki Yasuda - KotoTaikoza - Japanese Drums GroupIsham Park (New York, NY)October 6Ten ShowTen - Koto, Vocal & Bass, Drums GroupFAT BABY (New York, NY)October 20Taikoza ConcertYuki Yasuda - KotoTaikoza - Japanese Drums GroupSUNY (The State University of New York) Cobleskill's Bouck Hall Theater (Cobbleskill, NY) October 21Taikoza ConcertYuki Yasuda - KotoTaikoza - Japanese Drums GroupSt Bonaventure University's The Regina A. Quick Arts Center (St Bonaventure, NY)October 27Koto Recital "Soundings on Ancient Strings"New England Conservatory's Pierce Hall (Boston, MA)*Performed two world-premiere piecesOctober 30Duo Concert "Afternoon of Shakuhachi and Koto Music #13"Yuki Yasuda - KotoMarco Lienhard - Shakuhachi, Bamboo fluteNortheastern University Shillman Hall (Boston, MA)*Performed three world-premiere pieces.November 19Ten ShowTen - Koto, Vocal & Bass, Drums GroupFontanas (New York, NY)2010April 2Koto Recital "Foxborough Reads 2010 Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden"Boyden Library, Fuller Room (Boston, MA)May 2TOHO RAKUGO (Traditional comic story telling)The Helen Mills Theater (New York, NY)*Performed as a Koto soloist.June 4Heineken Jazz Fest 2010The Tito Puente Amphitheater (San Juan, Puerto Rico)*Performed as a Koto soloist.December 13"Commencement of the Next 150 Years of U.S.-Japan Relations" Kanrin Maru 150th Anniversary ClosingSan Francisco City Hall Rotunda (San Francisco, CA)2009November 21The Japanese traditional music lectureYuki Yasuda - Koto, ShamisenMarco Lienhard - Shakuhachi, Bamboo fluteHarvard University (Cambridge, MA)November 22Duo Concert "Afternoon of Shakuhachi and Koto Music #11"Yuki Yasuda - KotoMarco Lienhard - Shakuhachi, Bamboo flutePublic Library of BrooklineBrookline, MA

2011
2009-2010

Concert Calendar

© 2011 Yuki Yasuda All Rights Reserved.

About Koto
About KotoThe Koto is a Japanese traditional instrument. It was first introduced to Japan in the 7th and 8th century from China. The Koto has very long history. This wooden instrument is about 180 cm long and has 13 strings which are strung over movable bridges along the length of the instrument. Players use three picks on the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger to pluck the strings. It made from ivory or plastic. And also player can use without pick (Pizzicato). The player can use their left hand to bend the strings in the area to the left of the bridge. Pressing the strings toward the koto body causes them to go higher sound, and pulling them towards the bridge causes them to go lower sound. And the left hand is used to move the bridges for key changes within the piece. Players can adjust the string pitches by moving these bridges before playing. And tuning depends on each piece. Original koto is thirteen strings. Nowadays, there are seventeen strings, twenty strings, twenty-five strings, etc. The koto is made in the image of the dragon. The parts of a koto are called Dragon-head, Dragon-tail and Dragon-tongue, etc.

Koto
Koto
Picks
Picks
How to play
Bridges
Bridges

About Koto

Boston Koto Academy

Boston Koto Academy Instructor: Yuki Yasuda

The first full-scale Ikuta style Japanese Koto School in Boston. For those who don't have the instrument, we provide rental instruments.

Individual lessons for an hour, 1-2 times a month. We sell brand new/used koto and all kind of accessories such as soft cases, ivory plectrum, rings in any sizes, strings, bridges, and koto stands (A types and H types).

For inquiry please contact:

Takashi Koto, Director of The Boston Koto Academy

11 Cliff Street, Arlington, MA 02476

Phone number: 781-648-4473

Email: Kotoacademy_jtnw.com

Boston Koto Academy

© 2011 Yuki Yasuda All Rights Reserved.

Contact Yuki YasudaEmail ukyasukoto_gmail.comBlog (Japanese only) http://ameblo.jp/yasukoto/Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ukyasukotoTenEmail info_tensound.netWebsite http://www.tensound.netFacebook http://www.facebook.com/Tensound

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© 2011 Yuki Yasuda All Rights Reserved.

Yuki Yasuda

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About Koto

KOTO 13-strings & 17-strings