The Global Koto Music Network is proud to present the fifth online master class in our series with instruction by renowned masters who studied under direct tutelage of Grandmaster Tadao Sawai. For this installment, we will focus on “Gaku”, another of Sawai’s beautiful solos for koto.
Chieko Fukunaga, a long-time teacher with the Sawai Koto Institute, will guide us through the piece while Curtis Patterson acts as our host. This is a rare opportunity to not only to gain insights into practice methods and important technical and interpretational aspects, but also to hear firsthand from Fukunaga-sensei some of the background on Gaku along with reminiscences from her many years of study with Tadao-sensei.
The title “Gaku” evokes the joy of sound and rhythm. The opening section, marked by the composer as “infinite movement,” flows and shifts with breathtaking fluidity, while the second part unfolds as a set of variations on a simple yet contemplative melody. Sawai brings the piece to a close with a striking theme in rondo form.
Beloved by audiences, “Gaku” is a work that many koto musicians aspire to master. Practice methods and techniques covered in this masterclass are not specific to “Gaku”. They can be applied generally to everyday practice and numerous other koto compositions. Whether you are currently studying the piece, hoping to play it in the future, or simply curious of its charm, we warmly invite you to join us ♪
▶Date & Time：Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 3:00 PM (Tokyo time）
▶Fee：Webinar+access to video AUS$30 / Access to video beyond webinar date AUS$30
＊Recording is available for viewing until June 30, 2027
▶Registration：https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1621389
＊For PayPal payment : satsukikoto@gmail.com (Satsuki Odamura)
▶︎For any inquiry：globalkotomusic@gmail.com
◉ The masterclass is presented in both English and Japanese.
