Tsuruta Kinshi
Encyclopedia
was an eminent Japan
ese musician of the 20th century. She specialized in the ancient pear-shaped plucked lute called biwa
, and also sang. She developed her own form of the Satsuma biwa, which is sometimes referred to as Tsuruta biwa. This biwa differs from the traditional Satsuma biwa in the number of frets, construction of the head, and occasionally a doubled 4th string. The additional frets allows a wider range of notes to be played which makes it possible to perform modern and western compositions.
Tsuruta achieved international attention for her New York City
premiere performance, in November 1967, of Tōru Takemitsu
's November Steps
with the New York Philharmonic
, under the direction of Seiji Ozawa
(with shakuhachi player Katsuya Yokoyama
).
She has many well known students, such as Yukio Tanaka (biwa)
, Yoshiko Sakata, and Junko Ueda.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese musician of the 20th century. She specialized in the ancient pear-shaped plucked lute called biwa
Biwa
The is a Japanese short-necked fretted lute, often used in narrative storytelling. The biwa is the chosen instrument of Benten, goddess of music, eloquence, poetry, and education in Japanese Shinto....
, and also sang. She developed her own form of the Satsuma biwa, which is sometimes referred to as Tsuruta biwa. This biwa differs from the traditional Satsuma biwa in the number of frets, construction of the head, and occasionally a doubled 4th string. The additional frets allows a wider range of notes to be played which makes it possible to perform modern and western compositions.
Tsuruta achieved international attention for her New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
premiere performance, in November 1967, of Tōru Takemitsu
Toru Takemitsu
was a Japanese composer and writer on aesthetics and music theory. Largely self-taught, Takemitsu possessed consummate skill in the subtle manipulation of instrumental and orchestral timbre...
's November Steps
November Steps
is a musical composition by the Japanese composer Tōru Takemitsu, for the traditional Japanese musical instruments, shakuhachi and biwa, and western orchestra...
with the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
, under the direction of Seiji Ozawa
Seiji Ozawa
is a Japanese conductor, particularly noted for his interpretations of large-scale late Romantic works. He is most known for his work as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and principal conductor of the Vienna State Opera.-Early years:...
(with shakuhachi player Katsuya Yokoyama
Yokoyama Katsuya
was an internationally renowned player and teacher of the shakuhachi, a traditional vertical bamboo flute of Japan.Katsuya Yokoyama is one of the greatest masters of the shakuhachi in Japan today...
).
She has many well known students, such as Yukio Tanaka (biwa)
Yukio Tanaka (biwa)
is a Japanese biwa player.He studied under the satsuma biwa master Kinshi Tsuruta, whose status he inherited as a leading figure of Japanese traditional music. His honours include First Prize at the Japanese Biwa Competition, the Minister of Education, Science and Culture Prize and the Japanese...
, Yoshiko Sakata, and Junko Ueda.
See also
- BiwaBiwaThe is a Japanese short-necked fretted lute, often used in narrative storytelling. The biwa is the chosen instrument of Benten, goddess of music, eloquence, poetry, and education in Japanese Shinto....