JCC E-Magazine April 2025

During the lecture.

Demonstrating Onikenbai with shinobue and taiko.

On 5 March, JCC hosted shinobue player Mr Kano Yasukazu for a special lecture and demonstration supported by Hibikiya Singapore. Mr Kano introduced the history of shinobue, the Japanese bamboo flute, and demonstrated how different lengths of shinobue could produce sounds of different pitch and octaves.

He also performed a few Japanese folk songs, highlighting the melodic tunes of the shinobue with taiko accompaniment by Hibikiya, as well as more contemporary pieces such as the Princess Mononoke theme and an original jazz composition.

Being trained in Western music, Mr Kano talked about how he was first introduced to Japanese music through a touching taiko performance. This influenced his decision to move to Sado Island, an island located off the coast of Niigata Prefecture, where he continued playing Japanese music with shinobue. He then joined KODO, a legendary professional taiko drumming troupe, as one of the early members and continued playing shinobue in Japanese music performances all around the world.

Audience clapping along to the performance.		Mr Kano Yasukazu opening the session with a performance.
Mr Kano Yasukazu showcasing the crested ibis motif on his kimono. The crested ibis (or toki in Japanese) is a national icon that once became extinct in Japan but now once again inhabits Sado Island.		Mr Kano teaches the audience a folk song that was sung during the celebrations when the Sado Island Gold Mines received its UNESCO World Heritage status in 2024.
During the demonstration on reading a shinobue score.		During the Q&A.

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