Japan

Ma

Emptiness; the silence or space between notes or words or art on a blank canvas; also in theatre and architecture and Zen gardening

Wabi-sabi

Philosophy of acceptance and imperfection; refers to imperfect or airy or overblowing timbres in Japanese music

Non-pulsatile

Music that lacks a steady beat or pulse

Ryo ritsu yo and in

Japanese modes

Main religions of Japan

Buddhism and Shintoism

Gagaku

The oldest Japanese performing art; court orchestra music for Shinto and Buddhist ceremonies in temples and shrines

Bugaku

The dances that accompany Gagaku (influenced by China and Korea)

Noh

Classical theatre of Japan; stylized and reserved with masked actors; accompanied by the hayashi (one flute and three taiko)

Hayashi

The Noh ensemble of one flute and three taiko

Bunraku

Japanese puppet theatre; a narrator chants while three visible puppeteers work each puppet and the shamisen accompanies

Sankyoku

Ensemble of koto and shamisen and shakuhachi

Shishimai

The Lion Dance

Kumi-daiko

Ensemble taiko drumming (Kodo is the famous example)

J-Pop

Japanese popular music

Shamisen

Chordophone with a small square body and catskin front and back played with a large plectrum; twangy sound; primary melodic instrument of Bunraku

Koto

Zither from China with traditionally 13 strings; rubbing the string can depict the wind

Biwa

Lute used in Gagaku and as a solo instrument and to accompany storytelling; played with a large plectrum called a bachi; originally played by blind monks

Bachi

The large plectrum used to play the biwa

Shakuhachi

Vertical bamboo flute with a breathy airy tone; no two are alike; bamboo is dried for 3-5 years

Sho

Japanese mouth organ (aerophone) used in Gagaku

Taiko

Japanese drum (membranophone)

Kodo

Means heartbeat; motto is One Earth; goal is to become one with the drum

Yoshiki Hayashi

Drummer and leader of X Japan and The Last Rockstars; first Asian musician to play Madison Square Garden and Wembley Arena and Carnegie Hall

Makoto Ozone

Renowned jazz pianist who began serious classical piano study in his early 40s; led the band No Name Horses

Keiko Abe

Marimba virtuoso and first woman inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame (1992); developed the first 5-octave marimba with Yamaha