All production photos by Ken Howard unless otherwise noted.
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MFJ 50th Anniversary – Festival 2025Music From Japan 50th Anniversary Festival 2025 New York February 21-22 Tickets on sale December 1 at https://mfjfestival2025.eventbrite.comVictor Borge Hall, Continue Reading
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Japanese Contemporary Music: Past and Present / Current Sounds Japan IVSaturday, March 9 – 7pm: Japanese Contemporary Music: Past and PresentSunday, March 10 – 5pm: Current Sounds Japan IV Festival Continue Reading
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COLORS: Contemporary Vocal Works of Japan / Current Sounds Japan IIISaturday, March 4: COLORS: Contemporary Vocal Works of Japan Sunday, March 5: Current Sounds Japan III Music From Japan Festival Continue Reading
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Tomojiro Ikenouchi / Current Sounds Japan IIall slideshow photos by Ken Howard Festival 2022 New York Saturday, March 5: Current Sounds Japan IISunday, March 6: Tomojiro Continue Reading
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Tomoko Hojo / Kazuya IshigamiMusic From Japan Festival 2021 Saturday, March 6 at 7:00pm: The Works of Tomoko Hojo, Click here to stream Sunday, Continue Reading
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45th Anniversary Season: Noriko Koide / Musicologist Seiji Choki 2020For its 45th Anniversary Season, Festival 2020 New York, and Fifth Artist Residency, Music From Japan invited composer Noriko Koide and musicologist Seiji Choki to New York for a series of concerts and educational events. Continue reading…
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Yumi Saiki / Musicologist Miyuki Shiraishi 2019For its Festival 2019, the Fourth Artist Residency, Music From Japan invited composer Yumi Saiki and musicologist Miyuki Shiraishi for a series of concerts and other educational events in New York City. Continue reading…
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US-Canada-Japan Encounters in Music 2018For the MFJ-MCANA institute in Japan, Music From Japan (MFJ) collaborated with the Music Critics Association of North America (MCANA) to bring ten MCANA critics, one US and one Canadian composer to Japan for various concerts and educational events. Continue reading…
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Tokuhide Niimi / Musicologist Toshie Kakinuma 2018For the third year of the Artist Residency Program, Music From Japan invited composer Tokuhide Niimi and musicologist Toshie Kakinuma from Japan to participate in a series of educational events and concerts in New York. Continue reading…
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Kenji Sakai / Musicologist Fuyuko Fukunaka 2017The Music From Japan Festival 2017 marked the second year of MFJ’s Artist Residency program. This year, we invited composer Kenji Sakai and musicologist Fuyuko Fukunaka to participate in a series of educational events, a symposium and two concerts. Both concerts included pieces commissioned by Music From Japan. Continue reading…
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Misato Mochizuki / Musicologist Yuji Numano 2016Music From Japan Festival 2016 marked the inaugural MFJ Artist Residency program with composer Misato Mochizuki and musicologist Yuji Numano. Continue reading…
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40th Anniversary Festival: East Asian Vibrancy & Highlights of MFJ Commissions III 2015The New York and Washington DC chapters of Music From Japan’s 40th Anniversary were celebrated with unique cross-cultural exchange between the US, Japan, and its neighboring nations: China and Korea. Continue reading…
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Songs of Okinawa 2014For its 39th season, Music From Japan presented music from Okinawa, the chain of islands that make up the southernmost prefecture of Japan. Continue reading…
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Japanese Rhythm & Timbre / Japanese Tone Colors on Western Instruments 2013For its 2013 Season, Music From Japan presented “Rhythms of Japanese Drums and Flutes” with Kaoru Watanabe and Kenny Endo, and “Japanese Tone Colors on Western Instruments” with Kumi Ogano and Fred Sherry. Continue reading…
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Resonances of Kugo / Commissioned Chamber Premieres 2012Festival 2012 opened on February 18 in New York City’s Merkin Concert Hall with a well-attended weekend of events that presented world premieres of three new MFJ commissions for Iitate, one of them scored for children’s choir and dedicated to the children of the village. Continue reading…
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Flutes from the East and the West / Song from the Spirit of Japan 2011MFJ’s 2011 Festival featured two programs: “Flutes from the East and the West,” which explored the relationship between these two great musical cultures from multiple perspectives, and “Song from the Spirit of Japan,” which celebrated the nation’s enduring song-setting tradition. Continue reading…
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35th Anniversary: Sukeyasu Shiba’s Gagaku Universe / Highlights of MFJ Commissions II 2010Music From Japan celebrated its 35th anniversary with Sukeyasu Shiba and his gagaku ensemble, Reigakusha and “Highlights of Music From Japan Commissions II,” a retrospective of compositions commissioned by Music From Japan in previous years. Continue reading…
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Masters of Tradition / Tradition/E-novation 2009Music From Japan opened the New York City portion of its Festival 2009 on March 7 at Merkin Concert Hall with another installment in the Masters of Tradition series. Continue reading…
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Exploring Ma / Current Sounds: Japan 2008The Japanese concept of ma was the focus of this presentation. In a pre-concert lecture, Columbia University professor emeritus Donald Keene expounded on the important but often elusive Japanese aesthetic concept of ma, frequently introduced in relation to time and space. Continue reading…
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The World of Joji Yuasa / The Junko Tahara Ensemble 2007On March 4, 2007, at Merkin Concert Hall, Music From Japan celebrated its 32nd year with The World of Joji Yuasa. Continue reading…
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Masters of Tradition: Akikazu Nakamura / Young Japanese Composers II 2006Music From Japan presented two concert programs during its 31st season. The first focused on the Japanese bamboo flute, the shakuhachi. Continue reading…
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30th Anniversary: Reigakusha 2004Music From Japan celebrated its 30th anniversary season (2004-2005) by presenting acclaimed ensemble Reigakusha on tour in the United States and in Fukushima, Japan. Continue reading…
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Ichiro Nodaira / Oki 2004In 2004 MFJ presented two diverse programs: they presented works by composer Ichiro Nodaira, and featured a native Ainu performer, OKI.
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25-string koto / New Works by Young Japanese Composers 2003Festival 2003 began in New York with a recital by Keiko Nosaka on the 25-string koto and was followed by a concert featuring new works by young Japanese composers including Atsuhiko Gondai, Keiko Harada, Sunao Isaji, Misato Mochizuki, Mica Nozawa and Toshiro Saruya. Continue reading…
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Ensemble Harena / Akira Nishimura 2002Music From Japan Festival 2002 was marked by the organization’s first endeavor in Tennessee. The gagaku group, Ensemble Harena, made its North American debut at the Middle Tennessee State University premiering Kikuko Massumoto’s “Divertimento.” Continue reading…
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25th Anniversary Festival 2000On November 9th, Music From Japan presented a concert of orchestral music at Carnegie Hall. The concert featured a solo performance by Mayumi Miyata, and several American and world premieres of pieces by Japanese composers, including Toshio Hosokawa, Takashi Yoshimatsu, Karen Tanaka, Tokuhide Niimi, and Shin-ichiro Ikebe. Continue reading…
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Chikuzan Takahashi / Hikaru Hayashi 2000Music From Japan Festival 2000 included performances in Fukushima, Japan, Washington DC and New York City. Continue reading…
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The Works of Maki Ishii / Teruhisa Fukuda Shakuhachi Concert 1999For the 1999 Festival, which took place on February 27th and 28th, Music From Japan featured yet another composer: Maki Ishii. Continue reading…
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Reiko Kimura / The Music and Life of Shin-ichiro Ikebe / the Keiji Azechi Kokyu Ensemble 1998Music From Japan began their 23rd Season with a concert at the Freer Gallery of Art at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Continue reading…
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A Tribute to Toru Takemitsu 1997For its 22nd Season, Music From Japan presented “A Tribute to Toru Takemitsu” on Saturday February 8th and 9th at Merkin Concert Hall. Continue reading…
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Reigakusha at the Lincoln Center Festival 1996In 1996, as part of the inaugural Lincoln Center Festival, MFJ helped produce a lecture/demonstration and symposium on Gagaku music. The demonstrations and performances centered on Reigakusha, a Gagaku ensemble from Japan led by Sukeyasu Shiba. Continue reading…
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The 20th Anniversary Festival 19951995 was a busy year for Music From Japan. MFJ celebrated its 20th year with new commissions, a collaboration with the NYC Opera at Lincoln Center, and a performance at the UN. Continue reading…
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Tradition and Innovation in Japanese Music 1994For its 19th Season, MFJ presented “Traditon and Innovation in Japanese Music.” Continue reading…
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World of Sangen / Akira Miyoshi 1993As part of its 18th season, Music From Japan presented “1993 Festival” which focused on Japanese ma: the concept of time and space. One of the several programs presented by Music From Japan, called “World of Sangen” had the opportunity to travel to several cities across North America. Continue reading…
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Woodwind Repertoire / Masters of Tradition 1992MFJ presented two exciting programs in 1992: “Masters of Tradition” (featuring Anthony Braxton, Richard Teitelbaum, and Meisho Tosha), and “Woodwind Repertoire.” Continue reading…
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Masters of Traditional Instruments / Kronos Plays Music From Japan / Advanced Technology and Music Today II 1991In 1991 Music From Japan presented a wide variety of music ranging from contemporary music written for traditional Japanese instruments, string quartets by American and Japanese composers, and music involving (then) state of the art computer interactivity. Continue reading…
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Masters of Traditional Instruments / 15th Anniversary Concert / Advanced Technology and Music Today 1990Music From Japan celebrated its 15th year with contemporary works for traditional instruments, large orchestral works presented at Carnegie Hall, and a concert featuring the latest in technology in contemporary music. Continue reading…
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Modern Piano Pieces / The Enchanting Harp / Yokobue and Percussion and more 1989For its 14th season, Music From Japan featured music for the piano, harp, and traditional Japanese instruments. Continue reading…
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The Tri-City Festival 1988For its 13th Season, Music From Japan presented its “Tri-City Festival,” a festival that allowed us to bring Japanese music to New York, Detroit, and Los Angeles. Continue reading…
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Three Instrument Showcases and a Mixed Media Concert 1986-1987To begin the 1986-87 Season Music From Japan presented three concerts (December 20th, January 24th, and February 21st) at the Asia Society, each of which highlighted compositions for a specific instrument. Continue reading…
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Chamber Music/American Premieres and Junko Handa Biwa Recital 1986On February 1st 1986 Music From Japan began the season with “Chamber Music/American Premieres,” a concert featuring works by five Japanese composers. Continue reading…
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The Tenth Anniversary Season 1984-85To open its 10th Anniversary Season, Music From Japan presented music by Takashi Yoshimatsu, Mel Powell, Somei Satoh, Katsuhiro Tsubonoh, David Loeb, and Karel Husa on December 7th, 1984at the Asia Society. Continue reading…
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The Ninth Season 1984Ever-devoted to Japanese-American cultural exchange in music, the 1984 Carnegie concert brought renowned conductor Hiroyuki Iwaki in front of the American Symphony Orchestra to conduct several American and World premieres on the Carnegie stage. Continue reading…
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The Eighth Season 1983By 1983, the Music From Japan concerts at Carnegie featuring Japanese compositions performed by the American Symphony Orchestra had become a yearly feature of New York City concert life. Continue reading…
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The Seventh Season 1982For the third year in a row, Music From Japan presented large scale orchestral works by Japanese composers performed by the American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, this time on February 24th. Continue reading…
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The Sixth Season 1981The Sixth season included MFJ’s second orchestral concert at Carnegie Hall, and several other concerts at Japan House and the Bronx Museum of the Arts. Continue reading…
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The Fifth Season 1979For its Fifth Season, Music From Japan presented the American Symphony Orchestra, the Schola Cantorum of New York, and Minoru Nojima on piano, all at Carnegie Hall on November 1st 1979. Continue reading…
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The Fourth Season 1978-1979Before it began its fourth season, Music From Japan presented music on the radio for the first time… Continue reading…
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The Third Season 1977On November 10th 1977, Music From Japan presented pieces that were written in the ‘70s with a special focus on forward thinking music that represented the shape of things that had yet to come. Continue reading…
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The Second Season 1976MFJ presented a concert on March 1st 1976 that included only pieces composed in the 1960s in an effort to highlight a decade that Mr. Miura regarded as a turning point for Japanese contemporary music. Continue reading…
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The First Season 1975For its inaugural concert, which took place on March 11th 1975, Music From Japan, then called the Society of Contemporary Music From Japan, presented five pieces written by Japanese composers and performed by American musicians at Japan House in New York City. Continue reading…
