Sumie Kaneko + Fumi Tanakadate

Spiral Music presents acoustic music every Wednesday evening at the base of the Museum’s spiral staircase. Artists who specialize in music from the Himalayas and South Asia are invited to forge a connection between their music and the art in the galleries.

About the Musician

Sumie Kaneko is a Japanese koto and shamisen player as well as a singer/songwriter who has been recognized as a pioneer for her chromatic use of the instruments. Her musical projects include blending Japanese traditional elements with jazz improvisation. She began playing koto when she was five years old and was broadcasted by the Japanese Broadcasting Corp.-Nippon HÅsÅ KyÅkai (NHK) by the age of six. In 1995 Kaneko won the Takasaki International Competition in koto performance. She studied Japanese traditional music at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music then studied jazz vocal performance at Berklee College of Music in 2006. Her second album, Dead of the Night, will be released in July 2016.

Fumi Tanakadate, is a taiko artist and pianist native to Japan and currently based in New York. Drawn to the artistry of Kaoru Watanabe, she has been studying taiko under him since 2011. Having an extensive training in European Classical music and a background in traditional folk dancing, drumming, and flute playing from her local festival in Japan, she became a member of Néo, Watanabe’s new ensemble that binds the nostalgic sound of Japanese traditional festival and theater and the interplay of complex jazz improvisations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in earth and environmental sciences from Wesleyan University and a Master of Music degree in piano performance from Manhattan School of Music.