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"Nihon no Uta" is a medley of old Japanese Songs arranged by Toshihiko Mizuno in 1996. It was performed by Oregon Koto-Kai at their 11th Annual Concert held at Portland Japanese Garden on August 27th 2022.
*This piece was slightly shortened in consideration of the full concert program length.
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The Koto
Koto
The koto is a traditional Japanese musical instrument, made out of kiri (paulownia wood). Sometimes referred to as a Japanese harp, this zither has 13 strings made of tetron. In the past, the strings were made of silk and conservative players still use silk strings today.
Koto-ji
There are 13 adjustable string bridges (koto-ji) that are placed on the body of the koto to create a variety of scales, from typical Japanese pentatonic scales to those found in Western music.The bridges are traditionally made of ivory, but today are made of plastic.
Tsume
The koto player wears tsume (fingerpicks) on their thumb, index and middle finger. You can also pluck the koto strings with other fingers to create a softer sound.
Sound
The koto produces very beautiful, dynamic melodies, and koto players must master a variety of unique methods to bring forth its lovely voice. Since it has a long history, koto music has many different styles, from traditional to contemporary. In ensemble pieces, you may see a larger sized koto with 17 strings, a bass koto, that is used to create depth in more contemporary music.
Learn more about the koto
If you have any more questions about the koto, feel free to contact us.
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