East Winds Ensemble
New York City, New York, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
Quotes from the Media:
“ An amazing Shakuhachi player Marco Lienhard has come out with a new CD, truly a very gifted and wonderful sense of musicality. Not since “ National Treasure” Yamaguchi Goro’s rendition of Kinko Honkyoku music have I felt the need to listen to more of his music. His rendition of Honkyoku form the Watazumi style is incredible and everyone studying the style should listen to it. His powerful and heartfelt rendition of Amazing grace reminded me of such gospel singers as Mahalia Jackson. ”
Hogaku Journal, Tokyo
- Kishi
“ These drummers were clearly enduring some metaphysical test, but less grueling in the program, Marco Lienhard’s deeply fanciful solos on the shakuhachi looked fully invested and with more than just energy. It is the layering of drums patterns and sonorities in intricate compositions that represent the key to the experience. - LA TImes
"Taikoza is the definition of great art and the audience was not mistaken when they broke into thunderous applause." - Switzerland
Corriere del Ticino:
The performance physical at times, meditative at times was very powerful and emotional. The visual beauty as well as the raw energy took the audience from the drummers pounding on the taiko. It created an emotional tension that was only released at the end with the audience’s heartfelt and thunderous applause. …. The members of Taikoza beyond their professionalism were able to make Taiko music more approachable to the audience
- Corriere del Ticino:
“The members gave their bodies over to musical performance at times a very physical and musical performance.- the highly appreciative audience was treated to physical dexterity, lovely and magical flute music ”
Boston Herald
- Boston Herald
The musicians’ strong performance really livened up the audience
Taikoza’s energic performance is a delicate mixture of tranquility and excitement and while using traditional Japanese performing arts they are successful at breaking national boundaries.
The Arts Cure, 2003
- The Arts Cure, 2003
Taikoza has moved the drums in the foreground and into an exciting visual Explosion,
The Dothan Eagle
- The Dothan Eagle
The concert was full of stirring Music from Japan. From the most delicate and mournful bamboo flute song to the loudest and most pulsating beat, the dedicated passion of the musicians was inspiring"
The Richmond News Leader
- The Richmond News Leader
Discography
East Winds Ensemble: Music of H. Miyazaki 1
East Winds Ensemble: Music of H. Miyazaki 2
Soundtrack of Red Steel ( wii game)
Marco Lienhard: Shakuhachi
Marco Lienhard: Poeme du Bambou
Marco Lienhard: The Traveler's Song
Taikoza: Beginnings
Photos
Bio
East Winds Ensemble and Masters Masayo Ishigure and Marco Lienhard will present a soulful and exciting concert of Shakuhachi, Koto and Shamisen music. The concert will take you on a journey into the soul of old and modern Japan presented by two international masters of traditional Japanese music. East Winds Ensemble has travelled internationally in Japan, Mexico, Europe and South America. Last November, they toured Brazil with the Japan Foundation. Masayo Ishigure and Marco Lienhard have appeared at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, etc. and on numerous national and international TV programs (Regis and Kathie Lee, PBS specials, Nagano Olympics CBS programs, etc). Charles Tang will also appear as part of the Ensemble. Their best selling albums are available on MarcoLienhard.com, iTunes and cdbaby.com.
Quotes from the Media:
An amazing Shakuhachi player Marco Lienhard has come out with a new CD, truly a very gifted and wonderful sense of musicality. Not since National Treasure Yamaguchi Goros rendition of Kinko Honkyoku music have I felt the need to listen to more of his music. His rendition of Honkyoku form the Watazumi style is incredible and everyone studying the style should listen to it. His powerful and heartfelt rendition of Amazing grace reminded me of such gospel singers as Mahalia Jackson.
Hogaku Journal, Tokyo
This performance is made possible in part by funds from East Winds, Inc. and in part with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and in part by public funds from the Fund for Creative Communities/NY Council on the Arts Decentralization Program, administered by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. This concert is also possible thanks to a grant from the NoMAA grant Program, made possible by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation
Contact: Marco Lienhard, 646-418-8808 or shaku8@mac.com, MarcoLienhard.com
For Publicity photos download here:
Download publicity photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/46566007@N04/
The East Winds Ensemble was formed in 1999 in New York City. The purpose of the group is to present concerts of traditional and modern music performed on Japanese traditional instruments, the shakuhachi and the koto. The members of the group are Ryuko Mizutani, Masayo Ishigure, Barbara Merjan and Marco Lienhard. Performances have taken the group to Japan, Mexico, Europe and around the US. The members have performed in some of the worlds most renowned halls such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Boston Symphony Hall, Suntory Hall in Tokyo and Osaka Festival Hall.
Past concerts include, Symphony Space in New York, Salamanca Hall in Gifu Japan, concert in Tokyo, Museum of Art of Gifu, Concert for World Music Institute in New York, U of Maryland, Gettysburg College, Wesleyan College, University of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, University of Missouri, and St. Louis. EWE recently toured Brazil for the Japan Foundation. They perform in NYC regularly. Recording for Nintendo for a new game: Red Steel 1 and 2. Members also have recorded for the movie: Memoirs of a Geisha and other movies. They released some best selling CD of the Music of Miyazaki Hayao arranged for koto and shakuhachi. Marco Lienhard has also released a few solos CD and the group is releasing a new CD in October 2012. Lienhard was an invited guest performer at many International Shakuhachi Festival s around the world. Lienhard gives master classes and concerts internationally he was recently in Brazil, Argentina, Japan, Switzerland, France and Russia.
Marcolienhard.com Taikoza.com
The shakuhachi is an end blown bamboo flute with four holes in the front and one hole in the back. It was used as a form of Buddhist meditation. In the Meianji temple in Kyoto, monks used to play these pieces as part of their training. The monks philosophy can be defined by the following words Ichion Joubutsu, which means, a single note to reach enlightenment or Buddhahood. It was used later in court music ensemble as accompaniment to the koto and the shamisen (a three stringed banjo-like instrument). Over the years, its presence in popular music has increased and it can now be heard in a wide range of genres. It is believed that it came to Japan from China and perhaps India along with Buddhism- it was then a six hole instrument.
BIOS:
Marco Lienhard has mastered the shakuhachi under Masters Katsuya Yokoyama and Teruo Furuya. Mastered the Watazumi Dokyoku style, Kinko and modern style. He was a principal member of Ondekoza from 1981-1997 where he learned and mastered the Taiko drum, the fue and folk dances. He has performed in the worlds most prestigious halls, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Boston Symphony Hall, Suntory Hall, and Osaka Festival Hall. Lienhard has done numerous recordings with Ondekoza and two critically acclaimed solo shakuhachi recordings. In 1995, Lienhard founded the
Links
