Japanese Koto and Shamisen concert held in Karachi

KARACHI: Japanese Koto and Shamisen concert titled “Japanese Traditional Music and Improvisation” enthralled audience at a local hotel.

Sindh Minister for Culture and Toursin, Sharmila Farooqui, was the chief guest of the show co-organized by the Consulate-General of Japan in Karachi, National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) and Pakistan Japan Cultural Association- Sindh (PJCA).

Sumie Kaneko, internationally-recognised player of Koto and Shamisen, joined Pakistani musicians to create fusion that drew a big applause from the audience.

Sitar Nawaz Ustad Nafees Ahmed Khan, head of Music Department at NAPA, and Tabla Nawaz Ustad Bashir Khan, Nadir Abbas along with four vocalists who are students at NAPA performed with Sumie Kaneko.

During the concert Sumie Kaneko also had an interesting collaboration with Muhammad Hassan Muhano, who is a highly recognized maestro of Surando, which is a very old and rare musical instrument of Sindh.

Earlier, Akira Ouchi, the Consul-General of Japan in Karachi, in his speech that Japan and Pakistan developed their own string instruments in their respective histories. These instruments from two countries when played together create a sound of great harmony, he said.

Mr. Ouchi further termed the event as a great opportunity to experience fascinating diversity of Japanese traditional music and memorable fusion of Japanese and Pakistani compositions.

He said events like this contribute towards the promotion of cultural exchange and friendship between Japan and Pakistan.