Thanks to Marguerite Paget for sending in details on the second movement of composer Yannick Paget's multi-media symphony, Consciousness. The second movement at Kyoto Art Center on June 24th, 25th, and 26th will explore quantum physics and string theory in a collaboration with physicist Koji Hashimoto and the ceramist Toru Kurokawa. Details below! Music meets Physics and … [Read more...]
Heidi S. Durning’s Tapestry – A Dance & Music Project at Urbanguild, Kyoto; November 23rd – 25th
Heartfelt congratulations to our friend and local dance legend, Heidi Durning, for her upcoming 60th birthday celebrations! Join Heidi and her friends at Urbanguild for a three-day festival of music and dance at Urbanguild later this month! Tapestry - Dance & Music Project Celebrating Heidi S. Durning’s 60th Birthday in November a collaboration of traditional & … [Read more...]
A Traditional Live Music Show at Ran Theatre Kyoto
A couple of months ago Mewby and I were invited to attend a traditional live music show at "Ran Theater Kyoto". During the show we were entertained by a large number of talented and enthusiastic musicians playing a variety of traditional instruments from all over the Japanese archipelago. I found the show highly enjoyable, but the audience was a little sparse when we went and … [Read more...]
Maiko Dinner Show at Kyoto Restaurant Yasakadori Enraku
Many thanks to Anna Kase for sending in the following information. Much has been written about Kyoto's maiko, the famous apprentice geisha (properly called geiko in Kyoto) who entertain wealthy guests with traditional music, dance, songs, games and good conversation. In the past it was quite difficult for overseas visitors to gain access to the traditional tea houses … [Read more...]
A Close Encounter with Butoh Dance at the Kyoto Butoh-kan
Today we have a special guest post from Florentyna Leow on the world’s first theatre expressly devoted to regular Butoh performances. Butoh is an avant-garde dance style originating in Japan. First developed by Kazuo Ono and Hijikata Tatsumi in the 1960s, one of the central features of Butoh is its very indefinability - it is difficult to attach a definition or set of … [Read more...]
Vent & Eau – A Concert by Yannick Paget
Yannick Paget will conduct an original concert "Voice of 風水" for La Nuit Blanche at Kyoto Art Center on October 1st from 16.00 - 17.30. Here's Yannick with some background to the piece: “It was an exciting challenge to start the new KAC’s cycle “listening to the voice of Feng shui”, especially in a town like Kyoto that had a minister of Feng Sui for so many years and … [Read more...]
Pictures from Enso Watt & Instant Eternity!
Enso Watt performed Sanka's 5th Season Ritual at Urbanguild on Sunday night and as always it was a fantastic show. If you are not familiar with what they do, it is a choreographed multi-media extravaganza, of experimental music, pre-recorded soundscapes, live video, art, poetry, heaps of talent, color, and a whole lot of enthusiasm. All of it conducted by classical … [Read more...]
A First View of Kabuki
My latest article for Inside Kyoto is about a visit to Kyoto's Minamiza Theater to see a kabuki show. Going to see kabuki is one of those things I have long wanted to do, but somehow I had never gotten around to - until now. I had strong doubts before going about whether I could enjoy it, as I knew that the language would be archaic and difficult to understand. In the event I … [Read more...]
Sanka’s Spring Ritual: A Mixed Media Performance by Ensō Watt @ Urbanguild; April 29th
The fourth and final part of the epic seasonal rites sequence by the experimental arts collective, Ensō Watt will take place at Urbanguild, Kyoto on April 29th. This is an event not to be missed! Date: Wednesday, April 29th Doors Open: 19:30 Show Starts: 20:00 Tickets on the door: 2700 yen Tickets in advance: 2000 yen Student Tickets: 1500 yen (all tickets include … [Read more...]
‘Introduction to Noh theatre’ begins at Impact Hub Kyoto this Spring
‘Introduction to Noh theatre’ by The International Noh Institute (INI) is a 6-session course at Impact Hub Kyoto, aimed at Kyoto residents, exchange students, or any other English-speaker who would like to take a closer look at Noh theatre’s tradition. Details at the LINK! … [Read more...]
Images from Velvet Moon Vol. 115
What a joy it was to see Sean Roe back in Urbanguild this evening - and for the first time in four years! And so much talent in tonight's show too! I was particularly impressed this time by two of the dancers: Misuzu and Chian. Watch out for them in the images and videos below. Mangrove Kipling Cozy (Colin Garvey & Yozy) みすず + 山崎昭典 … [Read more...]
Velvet Moon: Live Music & Dance @ Urbanguild, Kyoto; March 25th 2015
I'm very happy to report that our old friend Sean Roe will be returning to Urbanguild on March 25th as one half of the sound and video improvisation unit amallsのskcaj! VELVET MOON Vol. 115 DATE: Wednesday March 25th DOORS OPEN: 19:00 / SHOW STARTS: 19:30 ADVANCE TICKETS: 2000 yen with 1 drink / TICKETS ON THE DOOR: 2300 yen with 1 drink Here is the full line up for … [Read more...]
Parasophia: A Major Festival of Art & Culture in Kyoto Starts this Week!
Well, this looks interesting, doesn't it? Parasophia: Kyoto International Festival of Contemporary Culture 2015 March 7–May 10, 2015 Parasophia: Kyoto International Festival of Contemporary Culture 2015 is the first large-scale international exhibition of contemporary art to be held in Kyoto. Approximately 40 artists from around the world will participate in the … [Read more...]
Images from Sanka’s Winter Ritual
On January 25th I attended Sanka's Winter Ritual; a performance at Urbanguild by the mixed media collective Ensō Watt. Just as when I attended the Autumn Ritual in October, I was completely enthralled by the mounting energy of this show. It really is a treat to see talented artists from so many varied disciplines blending their abilities so successfully. Of course, it … [Read more...]
