Composer's Notes Otokirara 14/03/2017Don Otokirara (音きらら) – Tadao Sawai (1991) 2 Kotos and Bass Koto This piece is based on the composer’s childhood memories of a kaleidoscope [more]
Composer's Notes Meguri Meguru 14/03/2017Don Meguri Meguru (めぐりめぐる) – Tadao Sawai, 1991 2 Bass Kotos In recent years, the bass koto’s possibility as a solo instrument has been [more]
Composer's Notes Letter From A Stranger’s Childhood 14/03/201714/03/2017Don Letter From A Stranger’s Childhood – Robin Williamson (1987) Bass Koto Solo This piece was written by an English composer, Robin Williamson. It [more]
Composer's Notes Zelkova Tree 14/03/201714/03/2017Don Keyaki (欅), Zelkova Tree – Hideaki Kuribayashi (1992) Koto and Bass Koto This work reflects the essence of the four seasons as experienced [more]
Composer's Notes Hana Ni Naru 14/03/2017Don Hana Ni Naru (華になる), To Bloom by Tadao Sawai (1988) Bass Koto Solo Although originally created by Michio Miyagi as a bass accompaniment [more]
Composer's Notes Futatsu no Hensoukyoku 14/03/2017Don Futatsu no Hensoukyoku (二つの変奏曲)by Tadao Sawai (1971) Koto Solo Sakura Sakura and Koujo no Tsuki are two of Japan’s most famous folk songs. [more]
Composer's Notes Futatsu no Gun no Tame Ni 14/03/201714/03/2017Don Futatsu no Gun no Tame Ni(二つの群の為に), Music for Two Armadas by Tadao Sawai (1976) Koto Solo, 3 Kotos, Bass Koto Solo, 2 Bass [more]
Composer's Notes Dosei, Voices of the Earth 14/03/201702/05/2017Don Dosei (土声), Voices of the Earth by Hikaru Sawai (1991) Bass Koto and Shakuhachi The two voices in this piece offer strongly contrasting [more]
Composer's Notes Rock Garden 09/02/201714/03/2017Don 石の庭 Ishi no Niwa (Rock Garden) by Hikaru Sawai (1994) 3 Kotos & 2 Bass Kotos This piece is conscious of typical structures in [more]
Composer's Notes Rokudan 09/02/201714/03/2017Don 六段の調べ Rokudan no Shrabe (Six Movements) – Composer unknown (17th century) Koto solo Music of Six Steps (Rokudan-no-shirabe) is a representative style of [more]
Composer's Notes Gaku 07/02/201710/05/2017Don 楽 Gaku – Tadao Sawai (1988) Koto solo 1. Perpetual Motion 2. Variations 3. Rondo The character ‘GAKU’ here takes on the double [more]
Composer's Notes Beyond the Rise 06/02/201714/03/2017Don 上昇の彼方 Jyosho no Kanata (Beyond the Rise) – Hikaru Sawai (2003) 2 Kotos and Bass Koto People seem to climb an endless stairway one [more]