KARACHI: Japanese traditional music depicts many shades of everyday life in Japan and to introduce this distinct and rich tradition, the Japanese consulate general here hosted an evening with renowned artiste Sumie Kaneko on Sunday.

Improvisational acts were also part of the offering that saw an amalgamation of distinct Japanese and Pakistani musical forms complementing each other to come together as a whole.

Ms Kaneko is known for her use of traditional Japanese instruments as well as being a recognised jazz singer and songwriter. Tapping into the harmony that Japanese musical instruments invoke, the evening allowed an expression of humanity to connect the two countries through the medium of music.

Held in collaboration with the Pakistan Japan Cultural Association (PJCA) and the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa), the evening showcased traditional Japanese instruments such as the koto and the shamisen, in tandem with Pakistani instruments such as tabla, sitar and the traditional Sindhi instrument surando.

The event began with Ms Kaneko’s performance on the shamisen, a three-stringed instrument considered to be related to sitar. Emphasis was given to each instrument and its different components were introduced to the audience. Made up of animal skins, specifically of dogs and cats, Ms Kaneko spoke about how each time she played shamisen, she thanked the animals who gave up their lives for the instrument. She also expressed her desire that a synthetic material be used at least for practising it.

The highlight of the evening was Ms Kaneko’s performance of the koto, a traditional stringed musical instrument similar to the santoor. Initially played solely by the aristocrats in ancient Japan, she explained how the koto resembles the body of a dragon. The mystical music this elegant instrument produced was most appreciated by the audience.

Ms Kaneko also performed a Kabuki piece, which is a Japanese dance drama. The original composition was 30 minutes long, but due to time constraints she decided to play certain parts of it.

She also collaborated with surando player Muhammad Hassan in which the delicate sounds of the shamisen was played in synch with the surando.

Another collaboration was with Napa veterans, sitar player Ustad Nafees Ahmed Khan and Ustad Bashir Khan on tabla. The composition was backed by vocalists who sang the traditional Japanese folk song ‘Sakura Sakura’.

The consul general of Japan in Karachi, Akira Ouchi, PJCA vice president Pervez Iqbal and chief minister’s special assistant on culture Sharmila Farooqui also attended the event.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2015

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