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"Katada
Kisaku and Katada Shinjuro"
The program will run 2 hours, and will feature 2
traditional dance performances and 4 musical numbers.
One of the music
pieces will feature an interesting comedic solo by Master Katada Kisaku on a
variety of
instruments, including the Tsuzumi, a small hand held drum with more than a 500 year history in
classical
Japanese performing arts.
In addition to Master Katada
Kisaku, nine top ranked Nagauta
(Kabuki music) musicians will travel from
Japan to participate in the event.
They will be joined on stage by Madame Katada Kikusa, the Los Angeles
based protégée of Master Katada Kisaku, and members of Katada-Kai of USA.
The dance portions of the program will feature the
talents of local masters such as Madame Bando
Mitsuhiro, Bando Hidesomi and
Madame Wakana Hanayagi, former member of the Azuma Kabuki troupe.
Kabuki, and it’s music, is a very recognizable icon
of traditional Japanese culture to most Americans. Yet,
few westerners have
ever been exposed to an actual performance. This event provides an
opportunity to
sample the dance and music of Kabuki, right here in downtown
Los Angeles, as performed by some of the
most respected and accomplished
artisans at the very pinnacle of the craft.
This program is made
possible through the generous efforts of the Japanese Traditional Performing
Arts
Organization, the California Arts Council, Los Angeles County
Arts Commission and the support of the
Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California. Tickets for this very special event are available
by
calling, or stopping by, the box office of the Japan America Theatre, (213)
680-3700. Prices are $25
each, or $22 with JACC membership discounts. For
more information, please contact Katada Kikusa at
(310) 378-3550, or visit
the web site of the Japanese Traditional Performing Arts Organization (JTPAO)
at http://www.jtpao.org
To hear Grand Master
Katada Kisaku play, please visit http://jtrad.columbia.jp/eng/k_hgh.html.
Additional News
Release Material for Katada Kai 20th Anniversary Concert
By Mikko Henson
This concert is a part of Oshogatsu (New
Year) program co-presented by the Japanese American
Cultural Community Center
and Katada-Kai of USA which will celebrate 20 years of Japan's master
percussionist Katada Kisaku's contribution to the Los Angeles Japanese
traditional performing arts
community.
Master percussionist Katada Kisaku
who popularized Japanese percussion outside of Japan, is no
stranger to Los
Angeles. Taking part in UCLA's Asian Performing Arts Summer Institute in
1981,
he taught an intensive course on Hayashi (Kabuki style percussion).
Hayashi is essential to Kabuki music,
dancing and acting. It is the heart and
soul of Kabuki music. Upon learning there was no one to provide
Hayashi in
California he helped establish Katada-Kai of USA in Los Angeles in 1982.
During the past
twenty years he has been dedicated to nurturing the group and
making periodic appearances in Los
Angeles stages.
This new year's program will open with an auspicious
nagauta classic composition "Ayatsuri Sambaso".
Next is "Goro
Tokimune" which has a long standing tradition of performance in New Year
programs.
Then following: "Musume Dojyoji," one of the most favorite
nagauta pieces; as well as traditional dance
numbers "Yoshiwara Suzume", "Kimigayo
Shouchikubai". There is also be a special feature: an
entertaining piece
called "Mukashibanashi Tanuki" which depicts a raccoon-like animal
called Tanuki,
which requires special skill on shamisen and percussion, and
for that reason is rarely played even in
Japan. This number's various
percussion instruments usually are played by 4 percussionists off stage
but
will be performed on stage by Master Katada Kisaku alone which make this
number his signature piece.
Six nagauta (shamisen and singing) musicians coming from
Japan are a top rated professional women's
group led by singer Kineya
Katsura and on shamisen Kineya Katsuyukie. Master Katada Kisaku is bringing
his son Katada Shinjyuro and fue player Fukuhara Tetsuhiko. They will be
joined by Madame Katada Kikusa,
leader of Katada-Kai of USA and the Los
Angeles based Protégée of Master Katada Kisaku; and versatile
well known
local musician Masakazu Yoshizawa member of Katada-Kai of USA. The dance
portion of the
program will feature the talent of local masters such as Madame
Bando Mitsuhiro and Bando Hidesomi in
"Yoshiwara Suzume", and Madame
Hanayagi Wakana and her students Hanayagi Wakayaoi,
Hanayagi Wakanana, Hanayagi
Wakaseira in "Kimigayo Shouchikubai".
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