Exploring traditional Japanese music and instruments with experts
The Consulate General of Japan in Kolkata recently hosted four Japanese musicians and treated the audience of the city to traditional music at the Calcutta School of Music and Netaji Bhawan. We caught up with musical storyteller Katsura Kosumi, soprano Kunishi Miho, pianist Takashima Keiko, and oboist Miwa Akane.
How did you like Kolkata?
MIWA Akane: There are too many people, but they are very active.
KATSURA Kosumi: Before coming to India, I had a different image of the place- lots of rush and congestion. But upon arrival, the reality is much better. Yes, there is congestion, but people are very proactive, and that’s impressed me a lot.
TAKASHIMA Keiko: I was quite interested to know where music stands in the lives of the people of Kolkata. When we played with Bengali musician Tanmay Bose, the rhythm was very different from Japanese music. After this experience, I would like to listen to other kinds of music from India.
KUNISHI Miho: I wondered how Bengali people would receive Japanese music. But after the first concert, this worry ended because they loved it a lot. This means that music doesn’t need any interpretations. Even without words, one can understand it.
What kind of musical pieces were played for the audience?
MIWA Akane: Japanese music is very soft and slow in its rhythm, and when we played with it with Tanmay Bose, he quickly picked it up and matched the rhythm.
KATSURA Kosumi: My instrument is like a three-stringed guitar or sitar. It’s a traditional Japanese instrument. People loved to see it and hear it. We have also presented a Bengali song – Ami chini go Chini Tomari.
TAKASHIMA Keiko: I presented one of my own compositions, which has been drawn from a Japanese story. There were some Italian pieces too. It’s very different from Indian music, but many people appreciated it after listening to it.
Being a soprano, how do you take care of your voice?
KUNISHI Miho: Cola has lots of soda, which helps the voice to open up. I eat healthy food and cola to maintain my voice. It’s a routine to enjoy cola before taking the stage.
What kind of voice training do sopranos have?
KUNISHI Miho: The voice of a soprano doesn’t come from the mouth; it comes from the body. When we sing, we take great care that apart from modulating the breath, we also put in the meanings and emotions of the lyrics and then reflect them through the voice. The upper part of the body must be relaxed, and below can be stiffer.
How do you blend music and storytelling to create the backbone narrative of your performance?
KATSURA Kosumi: Kabuki tradition is very ancient and old in Japan. Today, we vocalise differently. I aim to understand the ancient language and use that knowledge to express to today’s audience. Sometimes, breathing techniques and the speed of narration are very important.
What is the process you apply to take this ancient art to connect it to today’s audience?
KATSURA Kosumi: It is important to maintain these ancient art forms. I don’t arrange it differently for a modern audience. We narrate it as per tradition. Most people understand it. But if we play keeping tradition in mind all the time, then many might get bored. So, sometimes, to relax them, we do play modern music.
MIWA Akane: As a listener, I can say that it might be difficult to grasp ancient traditions and art forms at times. But the performer tries their best to make the audience understand it, to make their interest grow in the traditional art form. And since the audience gets to witness something new, most often they are happy.
How do all of your individual musical backgrounds come together to perform smoothly in a quartet?
TAKASHIMA Keiko: Even though we perform separately, we have worked together quite a few times before coming to Kolkata. We have rehearsed quite a few times for the performance. This helps in improving the quality of the performance.
What kind of pieces do you like to perform on the piano?
TAKASHIMA Keiko: I started playing piano when I was four and have been playing European classics for a long time. But then I shifted toward contemporary music. I believe one should be allowed to practice and play what they want, and classical music cannot be forced upon anyone.
Tell us about your instrument.
