Koto and Jiuta shamisen Player
San Francisco, CA
Ms. Handa began studying koto at the age of 50 years old after moving to the USA by marriage. Before then, she worked as a researcher/educator of Science at a national university in Japan for 24 years.
Koto and Shamisen Ensemble
San Francisco, CA
Masazuka-kai was originally established in 1980 by the late Grand Master Ms. Sato Masazuka as the Sato Masazuka-kai.
Tsugaru shamisen Player
Santa Cruz, CA
Kyle Abbott has dedicated over 15 years to playing and building shamisen. He is the author of the world’s first authoritative shamisen building/playing manual, ‘Shamisen of Japan’, and is the founder of Bachido.
Traditional Japanese Music Ensemble (Voice, Shakuhachi, Koto, and Shamisen)
Santa Rosa, CA
Davis, CA
The Edo Ensemble duo is dedicated to bringing the beautiful sounds of Japan’s traditional music for voice, shakuhachi, koto, and shamisen to Western audiences.
Koto, Shamisen, and Chikuzen biwa Player
Boulder, CO
Yoko Hiraoka performs on the beautiful and evocative string instruments of Japan; the Koto, Shamisen, Biwa and Voice.
Jiuta shamisen Player
Louisville, KY
Jackie Frain is a certified jiuta shamisen player and instructor. She was born in Memphis, Tennessee and relocated to Louisville, Kentucky in 2020.
Koto and Jiuta shamisen Player
New York, NY
Masayo Ishigure began playing the koto and jiuta shamisen at the age of five in Gifu, Japan and has created an extensive multi-faceted career that continues to stretch the limits of the koto while maintaining a strong grasp of the tradition.
Koto and Shamisen Ensemble
New York, NY
Miyabi Koto Shamisen Ensemble is a New York based group founded and headed by Ms. Masayo Ishigure. Ms. Ishigure began playing the koto and shamisen at the age of five, and later developed her skills with Tadao and Kazue Sawai as a special research student.
Koto and Yamada/Nagauta-style shamisen Player
New York, NY
Boston, MA
Sumie (Sumi-é) Kaneko creates music that spans a millennium. A master in the traditional repertoire of these ancient instruments, she has also pioneered their use in jazz and experimental music, through solo and group performances worldwide.
Koto and Yamada/Kato-style shamisen Player
New York, NY
Yoko Reikano Kimura is a distinguished virtuoso of Japanese koto and shamisen in both traditional and contemporary music. Based in the US and Japan, she has concertized in about 20 countries around the world.
