On Thursday, April 12, the Center for Japanese Studies will present the shamisen group Abeya in the Lincoln Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m.
“A shamisen is a type of Japanese guitar made from animal skin and wood. In this case, Abeya will be playing ‘tsugaru’-style shamisen, which is the most up-tempo, percussive style,” said professor Lawrence Kominz, the PSU faculty member helping to organize the event. “Just like flamenco guitar sounds different from blues guitar, ‘tsugaru’ shamisen is unique in this way.”
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On Thursday, April 12, the Center for Japanese Studies will present the shamisen group Abeya in the Lincoln Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m.
COURTESY OF CENTER FOR JAPANESE STUDIESAbeya comes to Portland to celebrate the Japan–U.S. Cherry Blossom Centennial.
“A shamisen is a type of Japanese guitar made from animal skin and wood. In this case, Abeya will be playing ‘tsugaru’-style shamisen, which is the most up-tempo, percussive style,” said professor Lawrence Kominz, the PSU faculty member helping to organize the event. “Just like flamenco guitar sounds different from blues guitar, ‘tsugaru’ shamisen is unique in this way.”
They’ll play selections from a wide-ranging repertoire that includes traditional music from different local musical traditions throughout Japan, their own material and improvisations that express the creativity of the moment. Listeners will be taken on a tour of Japanese folk music of the last 150 years and hear the more modern stylings Abeya has incorporated into their music.
In addition to the tsugaru shamisen, members play the flute and the drums. The ensemble includes patriarch Hidesaburo Abe and his two sons, Kinzaburo and Ginzaburo Abe, the beautiful Maya Nemoto, Ryu Gokita and Tatsumaki Ando.
Abeya’s performance style has been compared to the shamisen group The Yoshida Brothers in composition and use of instruments. It represents a creative blending of the Japanese traditional arts with the personality and sensibility of Japan’s younger generation.
“Expect the music to be energetic and fun,” Kominz said. “This is a chance for PSU students and anyone who’s interested to see Japanese music and a part of Japanese culture. For almost everyone who comes, this will be a totally new experience.”
General admission tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for students with identification.
“These remarkable Japanese performing arts programs that Dr. Kominz brings to PSU almost always sell out,” Ken Ruoff, director for the Center for Japanese studies said. “Soon the Center for Japanese Studies will publicize this upcoming performance widely in the community, so we urge interested students, staff and faculty to purchase their tickets now, before the event sells out.”
Tickets are available at the PSU box office at [email protected] or 503-725-3307. ■
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