Nissan Seminar: Kabuki music and compositions

Convener(s): Dr Giulio Pugliese and Professor Hugh Whittaker

Speaker(s): Denjiro Tanaka VII and associates

Abstract

Denjiro Tanaka VII and his associates will perform a selection of Kabuki music and his compositions. Denjiro plays the kotsuzumi (small hand drum) and Tatsuichiro Imafuji plays the shamisen (three-stringed traditional Japanese musical instrument) and other musical instruments. He will explain the various features of instruments and invite the audience onto the stage to try the musical instruments. The event will conclude with Q&A session.

The event is supported by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.  

Denjiro Tanaka was born in 1977. His father is Tadao Kamei, a Living National Treasure who played the drums of the Kazuno School of Noh Hayashi (music), and his mother is Sataro Tanaka, the 9th head of the Tanaka School of Kabuki Hayashi (music). He made his first performance on stage at the age of 3 in "Tamura". In 1994, he assumed the name "Denjiro Tanaka VII". Since then, he has performed extensively in a variety of prominent Kabuki stages and created many new Kabuki and Kyogen musical compositions.