EPHEMERAL

Shoko Nagai's EPHEMERAL

New York based composer/pianist Shoko Nagai's new project "EPHEMERAL" explores the essence of Japanese traditional music, such as Gagaku (the oldest classical music in Japan) and the sound of Nohgaku (abstract theater) with the elements of the contemporary western music, experimental electronic music and improvisations. Her compositions with its use of multiple textures and the open sense of time evokes another realm of time and place.


	Integration of cultures Japan has two types of music. One is the classical music such as Gagaku (court music) and Noh (abstract theater music) which requires a proper training with a respected musical family and most of the time, you have to come from a musical family of a long history. Other form of music is the folk music such as Minyou (People's song) and Kabuki (public theater music) which was created by ordinary people. Even though I was trained in western musical education, I was aware of both tradition from the beginning. It was in our daily life. Weddings and funerals, ceremonies and festivals. I learned these music by the way of feeling. And as I progressed in Jazz improvisation, I noticed that this feeling will flow naturally into my playing and writing. For me, it is very important to integrate these two cultures in which I have lived. I have wrote a lot of music in " western " style? composition based on Jazz tradition. But now I incorporate more Japanese musical concept (such as an elastic sense of time in Gagaku and Noh) into my compositions as well as contemporary classical music and electronic music.

Shoko Nagai's VORTEX • Quintet

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