Gagaku Concert at Columbia University

Glories of the Japanese Music Heritage XVI: An Evening of Japanese Sacred Court Music

Tuesday, December 3 from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Miller Theatre at Columbia University – 2960 Broadway (at 116th Street)

Admission: Free

IMJS: Institute for Japanese Cultural Heritage Initiatives Columbia University, in collaboration with Nippon Traditional Beauty Association, presents its 16th season concert featuring former directors of Imperial Household Orchestra and Columbia Gagaku Instrumental Ensemble of New York.

Gagaku, Japanese sacred court music, has its roots in the 5th century and was developed for the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

This concert is a rare opportunity to experience the tradition of and contemporary take on gagaku with former head musicians of the Imperial Household Orchestra. To register, please visit IMJS’s Eventbrite page.

Program

Part I: Enriching the Present
Classical Repertoire with Columbia Gagaku Musicians
Hyōjō nō netori (Prelude Mode Centering on the note of E)
Rōei: Kashin (Glorious Day)
Etenraku (Music of the Divine Heavens)
Bugaku: Ryō-Ō (Chinese King of Ryō) – with bugaku dance

Part II: Transforming the Future
Contemporary Works for Shō Solo
Toshi Ichiyanagi, Galaxy (Hoshi no wa) (1983)
Naoyuki Manabe, Kokyū III for Shō (2002)

Part III: Treasuring the Past
Heritage Handed Down in the Imperial Household
Kagurauta: Senzai
Konju no jo / ha (Ah, Cheers – Overture / Unfolding)

ABOUT IMJS

Founded in 1968, the Institute for Medieval Japanese Studies is an international liaison and research center designed primarily to serve European and American scholars in all disciplines whose main area of study focuses on pre-Meiji era Japan. The institute encourages research on often overlooked aspects of premodern Japanese civilization, especially during the medieval period (primarily, but not exclusively, the Kamakura and Muromachi periods 1185-1600). For more information, please visit their website.