Kazue Sawaï

If the koto has made headway in today's music, if it has grown just a bit out of its traditional Japanese clothes, it is thanks to Kazue Sawaï. Convinced that the instrument is worth more than a place in a museum or traditional music hall, she has taken upon herself to impose the koto in modern settings, from avant-garde concert music to free improvisation. Through the Sawaï Koto Institute in Tokyo, which she co-founded with her husband Tadao Sawaï, she has taught many younger koto improvisers, including Shoko Hikage, Elizabeth Falconer, and Brett Larner. Her discography includes albums released on Japanese, American, and European labels.







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