The Allure of the Shamisen

The Allure of the Shamisen: A Japanese Musical Tradition

Details Date: March 19, 2019 iCal
Start: 6:30 PM
End: 9:00 PM
Japan Society (map)
333 East 47th Street
New York, NY 10017

The Allure of the Shamisen

Travel via NYC Ferry to The Allure of the Shamisen at the Japan Society. If you’ve eaten Japanese food, you’ve almost certainly had dashi. Take NYC Ferry’s East River, Astoria, Soundview or Lower East Side (LES) route to East 34th St.

Played as an accompaniment to kabuki plays and traditional puppet theater or by geisha, the three-stringed shamisen has been an integral part of traditional Japanese music for centuries. Janet Pocorobba, author of The Fourth String: A Memoir of Sensei and Me, took a more unconventional path, apprenticing under her eccentric sensei while living abroad in Japan. At this talk, Pocorobba will discuss the history and features of the shamisen, illuminate her own journey learning to play this enigmatic Japanese instrument, and give a demo performance. Moderated by Bradley Strauchen-Scherer, Associate Curator in the Department of Musical Instruments at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Followed by a book-signing reception.

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