Japanese Tones Across Borders

Two bamboo flutes. Two cultures. One musical journey. The traditional Japanese bamboo flutes shinobue and shakuhachi each have their own history, distinctive sound and musical expression. Though both instruments originate from Japan, they have evolved in different musical directions over the centuries. At this special concert, the voices of the two flutes meet and build a bridge between Japan and Denmark in a musical dialogue across borders. Look forward to special guest performances featuring dance and Japanese bamboo flute, as Japanese culture is celebrated through music and movement.

Performing: Yasukazu Kano - Shinobue, Kiku Day - Shakuhachi. Special Guests: Keiko Tamaru - dance, Ami Shudo - Japanese bamboo flute.

Yasukazu Kano (shinobue player, instructor and music producer) was born in Tokyo in 1963. After studying in New York, he rediscovered his Japanese cultural roots and returned to Japan. In 1987, he joined the renowned taiko ensemble Kodo, performing more than 1,000 concerts in twenty countries, including Carnegie Hall. Since leaving Kodo in 1997, Kano has dedicated himself to developing the artistic possibilities of the ancient bamboo flute, the shinobue, creating his own distinctive playing method. He made his major-label debut with Yamaha in 2005 and has since released CDs, instructional materials and books. Kano has performed more than 2,000 concerts in over thirty countries and has composed music for television, film and theatre, including NHK's NIPPON NO WAGEI. He also leads shinobue workshops worldwide and continues to promote the instrument through performances, collaborations and educational videos.

Kiku Day is an ethnomusicologist and internationally acclaimed shakuhachi player. She studied the traditional honkyoku repertoire in Tokyo for eleven years and has dedicated her career to both preserving the instrument's traditions and expanding its contemporary repertoire. She also crafts some of her own bamboo instruments.