Emily Kazuchiye Imazumi

Emily is a fourth-generation Japanese American koto player from Los Angeles, CA. Motivated to cultivate a deeper appreciation for Japanese music, she continues to impart her passion for the koto to communities in San Jose and Los Angeles, aiming to inspire the next generation of musicians.

She began studying koto at the age of five and has honed her skills under esteemed mentors, including Madame Kazue Kudo, Toshiko Matsuzawa, and June Kuramoto. Beyond the koto, Emily is also a vocalist and has been immersed in taiko since her youth. She has showcased her talents with various community music groups such as the Grateful Crane Ensemble, the Cherry Blossomz, and Bonbu Stories. Additionally, she has performed in several taiko groups, including Daion Taiko, Kishin Daiko, Prota, and TAIKOPROJECT.

Emily earned a Master’s degree in Teaching from the University of California, Irvine, leveraging her education to instruct both group and private koto and taiko lessons for students of all ages. Upon relocating to the Bay Area, she took a hiatus from taiko and underwent rigorous koto training with Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto. With Shirley’s guidance and support from the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Emily studied classical and modern koto works, and received her professional name as well as an instructor’s license with honors from the Chikushi-kai Koto & Shamisen School in Fukuoka, Japan.