Koto performance coming to BIMA

Published 12:48 pm Thursday, September 18, 2014

The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art and Japan Arts Connection Lab is teaming up again to present a very special traditional koto performance in the BIMA auditorium at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19.

“JACLab and BIMA cosponsored two Japanese traditional performances last year, and they both were sold-out events,” explained JACLab president Mitsuko Toyama. “Our organization values a special relationship between the Japanese community and the local community on Bainbridge Island for a long time, and we want to bring many talented Japanese artists to the island. Now, we are presenting Sawa Fujii, a very accomplished koto player.”

Fujii’s performance is a special stop during her visit to the state accompanying her husband, who is performing at Cornish College in Seattle.

“Sawa has begun the traditional koto at age 5 and later played with the top contemporary koto master and his group in Japan for  many years,” Toyama said. “Sawa agreed to play at BIMA because her relative lives on the island.”

In addition to being a master of the contemporary style for koto music, Fujii is also a member of the Ginmeikai School, which plays koto and shamisen in the classical jiuta style.

Admission is free to this special concert event, but an RSVP is required.

Visit www.jaclab-koto.brownpapertickets.com to register.