Click here for composer biographies.

"...inaugurating an enlightening series entitled "Sounds of Modern Japan", pianist Sachiko Kato has taken on the task of educating the public while entertaining them at the same time," "...highly recommend this innovative new series; there is much to explore." "...good to gain some perspective on how Japanese music developed in the last century and how varied the repertory is."

"Weaving Japanese Sounds is a concert series that showcases some of the most interesting and far-reaching Japanese composers, emerging and established alike. I come away from each event musically and spiritually nourished by Sachiko Kato's imaginative programming savvy and, of course, her generous presence and colorful, scintillating pianism."

Weaving Japanese Sounds was established in 2004 by pianist Sachiko Kato, in the hopes of stimulating inter-cultural understanding and inspiring cross-cultural music-making by introducing new music from Japan to American audiences Its concerts have already received critical acclaim attracting loyal and deeply involved audiences.

Since the advent of TV and internet, the world has become so much smaller, enabling us to obtain information from anywhere instantaneously. What used to be a one-way exchange in which the East absorbed the cultural influences from the West is now a two-way exchange in which now the West is hungry to learn what is happening in the East. Particularly new trends from Japan such as arts, films including anime, fashion, etc. have garnered interest from mainstream America. Serious music, however, is not so easily discovered through TV and the internet. Unless it is a work by a very prominent composer, it is unlikely that anyone in the West will be exposed to it even in recording. Thus, it falls upon Weaving Japanese Sounds to fill this gap.

Weaving Japanese Sounds is a concert series devoted to presenting classical Japanese contemporary music in friendly and accessible settings so that the audiences can fully enjoy the beauty and diversity of the music without feeling "intimidated" by it. The programs are designed to showcase a variety of styles as well as instrumentations. Special attention is paid to illustrate the diversity of Japanese new music by programming the works by such prominent composers as Toru Takemitsu and Toshi Ichiyanagi alongside the works by relatively unknown young composers. We also commission new works from these emerging composers to help invigorate the new music scene in general. Our performers are superbly talented young musicians who are all passionate about discovering new music from around the world. Their energetic first-rate playing is one of the factors that make the Weaving Japanese Sounds concerts unparalleled experiences for the audiences.

Jody Redhage, cello - Cellist Jody Redhage's interest in a wide variety of musical genres has led her to regularly perform with classical, jazz, rock, and pop groups in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City. Jody has worked with composers Pierre Boulez, Martin Bresnick, Margaret Brouwer, John Corigliano, George Crumb, Richard Danielpour, Jed Distler, Joshua Fried, Michael Gordon, David Lang, Steve Reich, Todd Reynolds, Terry Riley, John Thow, Lois V. Vierk, Nils Vigeland, Julia Wolfe, and Evan Ziporyn. Additional notable collaborations include performances with Neil Diamond and band, members of the Tokyo String Quartet, Bang on a Can All-Stars, the Flux Quartet, Sequiter, the Locrian Chamber players, and with the Berkeley Contemporary Chamber Players, the Berkeley New Music Project, and the Composers' Collective, Inc Band. Currently she is the cellist for the Anechoic Chamber Ensemble and the ensemble Yes is a World. She has recently formed a new group, the Y Trio, with Eileen Mack (clarinet) and Jonathan Shapiro (percussion). Jody also plays cello and electric bass in the band Passenger Fish. She has appeared on TV playing on ABC's The View, and the CBS Early Show.

Michael Lipsey has performed with such prestigious ensembles as the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society II, Riverside Symphony, Ensemble Sospeso, Philharmonia Virtuosi, Newband and is a founding member of the Talujon Percussion Quartet. He has recorded for labels such as Sony Classical with the BBC Symphony, CRI Records, Albany Records, Mode Records and Nonesuch Records. He has performed at festivals around the world including Berlin, Mexico City, Taipei, Tokyo, Moscow, Bang on a Can, Chautauqua, Library of Congress and the Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors Festival. He directs the Percussion and Contemporary Ensembles at Queens College and is an Adjunct Lecturer at Connecticut College. Michael Lipsey is the founder of the Talujon Percussion Quartet. The group has performed for the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, La Jolla Chamber Music Society, BAM, Tan Dun, Taipei Red Lantern Festival and recorded for Tzadik and CRI Records. The group has been commissioned by the Long Island Children's Museum to design an interactive children's exhibit and regularly works with the Carnegie Hall Education Department. Michael has recorded for Sony, Red Poppy, Mode and Nonesuch Records. Recently he travelled to Cuba to study the religious music of that country and continues to study South Indian percussion.

Katherine Cherbas, cello - Cellist Katherine Cherbas has performed solo and chamber music recitals throughout the U.S. and has received particular acclaim for her performances of new music. Ms. Cherbas, whose sound has been described as "fresh and full" (Strings), has performed at all of New York's major halls, and has been heard on WNYC and BBC3 radio and the NBC, PBS, and Bravo television networks. In addition to the standard cello repertoire, Ms. Cherbas enjoys playing contemporary music. She has worked with countless living composers and been involved in performances of dozens of world premieres. She is the cellist of the Milton Quartet, the only group in the world which currently performs Milton Babbitt's String Quartet No. 6. The ensemble's world premiere recording of the work is available on Tzadik Records. Ms. Cherbas received a B.A. from Columbia University and the Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School.

Yosuke Kawasaki, violin - New York-based violinist Yosuke Kawasaki's versatile musicianship allows him to pursue a wide-ranging career of solo, chamber music, and orchestral engagements. He currently serves as a member of the Mito Chamber Orchestra and Saito Kinen Orchestra in Japan and is the former concertmaster of the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra (1999 - 2001). In addition to solo appearances with all three orchestras, Mr. Kawasaki has been guest soloist with the Aspen Chamber Symphony, International Sejong Soloists, Kyushu Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonic Orchestra of Lima. Mr. Kawasaki is a founding member of the D'Amici String Quartet along with world-renowned musicians Federico Agostini, James Creitz, and Sadao Harada. Mr. Kawasaki maintains an active duo concert schedule as well with Russian-born pianist Vadim Serebryany, where they made their Australian debut collaborating with the cutting edge Mark Morris Dance Group. The duo is best known for their interpretation of Beethoven's Complete Piano and Violin Sonatas and has performed this program in the United States and Canada. Mr. Kawasaki is an avid chamber musician making his Suntory Hall debut in Japan with the Festival Soloists Kyoko Takezawa, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi and Yasushi Toyoshima. Not bound by conventional chamber music settings, he performs throughout the United States in collaboration with the Mark Morris Dance Group as their resident violinist. In New York, Mr. Kawasaki is a member of the Metropolitan Museum Artists broadcasting live programs on WQXR-FM. He is also a member of the Caramoor Virtuosi and makes regular appearances at the prestigious Barge Music. Mr. Kawasaki began his violin studies at the age of six with his father Masao Kawasaki and continued with Setsu Goto. At the age of ten he was accepted into The Juilliard School Pre-College Division where he won the school-wide concerto competition. He then continued his education and graduated from The Juilliard School in 1998 under the tutorship of Dorothy DeLay, Hyo Kang, Felix Galimir and Joel Smirnoff.

Tanya Dusevic Witek, flute - Tanya Dusevic Witek was recently chosen as a "Face of the Future" by the Canadian magazine Maclean's, in a special millenium issue. Ms. Witek has been the recipient of awards such as The National Arts Club's Tilden Prize (1996, Jean-Pierre Rampal, jury chairman), a Fulbright Grant (1995), 2nd prize in the National Flute Association's Young Artists' Competition (1994), a Sony ES Award for Excellence (1994) and the Juilliard Concerto Competition (1993). Ms. Witek was the resident flutist at the renowned Marlboro Music Festival in 1996 and 1997 and has also appeared as soloist and chamber musician at The Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center, The Banff Festival and The Sarasota Music Festival. She has performed throughout Canada, the United States, Taiwan, Japan, Poland, France, Australia and England, and in New York she has made solo appearances at venues such as Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and Weill Recital Hall. Ms. Witek has appeared as concerto soloist with groups such as the Juilliard Orchestra, New York Symphonic Ensemble, Seacliff Chamber Players, the Calgary Philharmonic, and the Banff Festival Strings. She has toured Japan seven times with New York Symphonic Ensemble, The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and The Juilliard Orchestra. Ms. Witek has toured the U.S. with the acclaimed "Musicians from Marlboro" ensemble and is heard on a new compact disc celebrating the 50th anniversary of the festival. Other recordings include a compact disc of Ornette Coleman's chamber works, as well as various solo and chamber performances for EMI (Canada), EMI (Japan) and CRI. Ms. Witek's performances have been broadcast on CBC Radio in Canada, Radio France, NHK Radio and Television in Japan, as well as WNPR and WNCN in New York. Ms. Witek was educated at The University of Calgary (Bachelor of Music), The Banff Center and The Juilliard School (Master of Music, Doctor of Musical Arts). Her main teachers and coaches have included Philippa Fullerton, Carol Wincenc and Samuel Baron.

Sachiko Kato, piano/ founder - Versatile pianist Sachiko Kato has enchanted audiences all over the United States with her beautiful sonorous sound in a wide range of repertoire. A winner of the Frinna Awerbuch International Piano Competition and the Pro-Piano Recital Series Audition, Ms. Kato made her Carnegie Weill Hall recital debut in 1994. Since then, she has been performing extensively throughout the United States and Japan. She has been heard at the Lincoln Center Alice Tully Hall and Performing Arts Library, Steinway Hall in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum, Norris Theater of Performing Arts in Los Angeles, and Old First Church and Crocker Art Museum in San Francisco, LiveArts in Massachusetts, among others. Her pianism was also feature-broadcast by the classical station, KMZT FM. In addition to her career as solo performer, Ms. Kato has also been active in chamber music. She has recently appeared in Storm King Music Festival as well as Arcady Music Festival for which her piano trio gave four concerts throughout Maine last summer. A native of Osaka, Japan, Ms. Kato grew up in Los Angeles, California where she started to gain recognition as a promising artist at an early age. She made a debut performance with the Brentwood Symphony Orchestra at age 15. After receiving her Bachelor of Music from California State University Northridge, she received a scholarship to enter The Juilliard School for her Master of Music degree. Among her teachers are world-renowned pianists Russell Sherman and Jerome Lowenthal.

Management | Artists | 4Tay | ClassicalCDs.net | Podcasts | FAQ's | Other Resources