Desert Winds & Strings | 砂漠の管楽器と弦楽器

Honoring musicians who performed with traditional instruments while held captive in Japanese American prison camps during World War II.

Hear the classical and folk music of newly restored koto, shamisen, and shakuhachi instruments not played since they departed Topaz prison camp in Utah and Fort Lincoln prison camp in North Dakota since WWII almost 80 years ago.

Concert held at J-Sei in Emeryville, CA on November 4, 2023.

0:00 Tribute
0:22 Introduction
9:52 Sakura Henso Kyoku
18:15 Mitsumen Komori
33:25 Reflection: Shakuhachi
37:24 Rokudan no Shirabe
47:20 Furusato
50:18 Reflection: Suwada Sensei
52:16 Iso Chidori
1:02:56 Nagare
1:15:00 Credits & Acknowledgements

Performers:
Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto Koto Studio
Special Guest artist, Bando Hiroshichiro
Koto performers: Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto, Brian Mitsuhiro Wong, Emily Kazuchiye Imazumi, Rina Momeny, Noah Powell, Sachi Schuman
Shakuhachi performers: Karl Young, Brian Mitsuhiro Wong, Kyle Abbott
Shamisen performers: Kyle Abbott, Yuriko Fujita, Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto
Vocals: Sachi Schuman, Ailie Momeny, Rina Momeny, Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto, Yuriko Fujita
Assistant to Bando Hiroshichiro: Ryan Matsumoto

Instruments and props from the camps performed on in this concert:
kotos and shamisen of Yutako Tama Nakata (Nakamoto) - Topaz prison camp, Utah

shakuhachi of Tokushige Kizuka - Fort Lincoln internment camp, Bismark, North Dakota

masks used in the dance "Mittsumen Komori" - of Bando Misa/Mitsusa, teacher of Japanese Nihon Buyo dance at Tule Lake prison camp, California

Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto's kimono - from Bando Misa/Mitsusa of Tule Lake prison camp, CA

Videography and flier design: Nate Yee Ong of NateYo Designs, with production assistants, Alec Applegarth and Leif Caratiquit
Audiovisual: Robert C. Wong
Acknowledgments:
Made possible in part by: ACTA (Alliance for California Traditional Arts funding) Living Cultures grant California Arts Council, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Walter & Elise Haas Fund, J-Sei, Friends of Topaz
For more info about "Desert Winds and Strings", visit www.skmkoto.com