About the Event

JFKL will organize a lecture series on Japanese traditional music and recital by a renowned Japanese traditional musician, Ms. Fukuda Chieko in March, 2009. Ms. Fukuda Chieko is the daughter of Master Fukuda Tanehiko, the second headmaster of Mitsunonekai Koto-Shamisen School in Japan and she will be in Malaysia from 3 to 15 March, 2009. She graduated the 33rd NHK Ikuseikai College in 1988 and firstly won the Arts Festival Prize of the Agency for Cultural Affairs in 1993 as the youngest winner in its history. Her first CD, Akikaze no Kyoku, was released in 1998 by Japan Traditional Cultures Foundation. Since 1999, she has been invited to perform koto in many cities around the world, apart from her life performance, TV and radio appearance and educational activities in Japan. Ms. Fukuda is now the Director of Nihon Sankyoku Kyoukai, Director of Ikuta-ryu Kyoukai and Headmaster of Mitsunonekai. In 2008, she was appointed as Special Advisor for Cultural Exchange by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and her coming visit to Malaysia is a part of the program.

? Event Schedule

The schedule for lecture and recital in Malaysia is as follows:

Ticket Redemption

Tickets will be issued on the day of the performance at the entrance of the venue. However, we will be issuing Temporary Passes, which entitle you to exchange to tickets, prior to the day of the performance. You are required to exchange the passesat least 30 minutesbefore the show starts. Temporary Passes are available as follows:

Date: 2 (Mon) 11 (Wed) March 2009 (Mon-Fri, 8:30am-6:30pm / Sat, 10am-6pm / Closed on Sundays)

Venue: The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur, 18th Floor, Northpoint, Block B, Mid Valley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur

Notes: 1. Number of passes available is limited. 2. The Temporary Passes redemption is on first-come, first-served basis. No reservation will be entertained. 3. Limited to two (2) passes per person. 4. children below 13 years old are not allowed to the recital.

? Message from Ms. Fukuda Chieko

?Koto and Shamisen the most popular instruments representing the Japanese traditional music. These origins imply the rich cultural exchange among several Asian countries. In a long history, koto and shamisen have been widely developed as the instruments suitable for Japanese cultural climate and life, and around the 17th century, music created by these instruments has gained strong reputation and high value as one of the Japanese original, precious arts. Since then, for more than 400 years, the Japanese have inherited these sounds as one of their treasures. In this concert, I will bring the allure of Japanese traditional music through koto, shamisen and traditional songs performance. I strongly hope that you will feel the ambience of classical Japanese and experience the essence of Japanese culture and spirit through this recital.?