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Dr. ANDO Masateru   Koto Performer/Teacher/Educator

* ANDO Masateru studied koto with MIYAGI Michio , MIYAGI Kiyoko and MIYAGI Kazue . He received his Ph.D. from Tokyo University of the Arts. He was awarded 1st place in the All-Japan Children’s Koto Concours and the First Annual Miyagi Association Concours.     Since 1972 he has presented 33 recitals. In 1990 he embarked on a series of concerts to perform all of the works of MIYAGI Michio. To date, in 17 recitals, he has performed 219 of those works. In 1975, as a member of the Miyagi Koto Ensemble, he received Cultural Agency Arts Festival Top Prize.     He has performed extensively throughout the Australia, Austria(including the Wiener Musikverein), Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Canada, China, Colombia, Finland, France, Republic of Croatia, Repubblica Italiana, Republic of Korea, Republic of Slovenia, Russian Federation, Serbia and Montenegro, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States(including the Carnegie Hall) and other countries. 　 His other performing activities include television and radio performances. In addition, he has taught at Tokyo University of the Arts, Gunma University Graduate School, Shizuoka University, Yamanashi University, The Open University of Japan, Cambridge University Summer School (England) and Earlham College. (USA).

* He has been invited to present lectures for or has publications in the following associations: Acoustical Society of Japan, the International Acoustical Society, International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition, International Music Educators Society, the Japan Music Educators Association, and the Japan Music Expressin Society.Repubblica Italiana, 　He released many CDs; "MIYAGI Michio, as Performed ANDO Masateru"(He played all the pieces by himself with multiple recording), "MIYAGI Michio, as Performed ANDO Masateru Vol.2"(He played all solo pieces composed by MIYAGI Michio), "MIYAGI Michio, as Performed ANDO Masateru Vol.3"(The live recording of the memorial concert of retire from Tokyo University of the Arts), "MIYAGI Michio, as Performed ANDO Masateru Vol.4"(He played all 3 pieces added koto part to the original shamisen part-KOTO TESTUKE- by MIYAGI Michio)," "MIYAGI Michio, as Performed ANDO Masateru Vol.5"(He played all 8 pieces for Spring)," "MIYAGI Michio, as Performed ANDO Masateru Vol.6"(He played all 23 pieces for children)," "MIYAGI Michio, as Performed ANDO Masateru Vol.7"(He and his students played all 6 pieces for Spring with song)," Koto World 1, 2 , 3 "(He played famous traditional pieces), "HARU no UMI Karaoke"(with YAMAMOTO Hozan) etc.    Ando is the author of "Koto-Sakura wo hikimashou(Let's play Koto music-SAKURA-)", "Ikuta-ryu no Soukyoku (Ikuta School Koto Music)", "Sankyoku no Kihon to Shidou (The Basics and Instruction of Koto, Shamisen, Shakuhachi Ensemble Performance)", etc.    He was Professor of Koto at Tokyo University of the Arts, and he is presently the leader of the KISOUKAI Koto Association and Koto Group KAGAYAKI..

* As a performer and scholar, Dr. Ando has combined within himself the traditional world of the Japanese Koto--- as it was preserved and enhanced by MIYAGI Michio --- and the modern trends in scientific thought and research. His music is firmly set in the best of the traditional style while his educational approach, personality and efforts in cross-cultural music, for example playing Koto in ensemble with orchestra or other non-Japanese instruments, makes it easy for non-Japanese or those Japanese who are unfamiliar with their own culture to listen to and enjoy Koto music without reservation.

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[1] Okoto(a koto)　 [2] Oyama no hosomichi(a narrow path in the mountain)　 [3] Chocoreito(chocolate).
[4] Tanuki no dorobune(a muden boat for the raccoon dog)　[5] Ondori mendori(a cock and a hen)
[6] Haru no ame(spring rain) [7] Bunbuku chagama(a mythical raccoon dog transformed into a teapot)
[8] Kamifusen(a paper balloon)　[9] Ahiru(a duck)　[10] Osaru(a monkey)　[11] Iroha karuta(IROHA card matching game)
　[12] Tobi(a kite)　[13] Shirousagi(a white rabbit)　[14] Fuyuda no kagashi(a scarecrow in the winter rice paddy)
[15] Chyun chyun suzume(a chirping sparrow)　[16] Osaru no okao(a monkey face)　[17] Kubifuri hanafuri　[18] Hanaguro hanajiro kozosan
[19] Honen mansaku miyo banzai　[20] Hageito　[21] Ura no kido　[22] Kin no shachi　[23] Yoru no daikusan

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MIYAGI Michio's all koto solo pieces (80 min.)

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1. Haru no Umi (The Spring Sea)　　　　　　　　　　 　
Koto : ANDO Masateru
　　　　 Bowed Lute : ANDO Masateru

　　　　　　　　2. Sakura Hensoukyoku (Variations on the 'Sakura' Melody) 　
　　　　  Koto Part �T : ANDO Masateru
　 　　　Koto Part �U : ANDO Masateru
　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　　 Seventeen Stringed Bass Koto : ANDO Masateru

3. Sarashifu Tegoto ('Sarashi' Style Tegoto)　　　　
　　　High Koto : ANDO Masateru
　　Low Koto : ANDO Masateru

4. Seoto (The Sound of Rapids) 　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Koto : ANDO Masateru　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Seventeen Stringed Bass Koto : ANDO Masateru

　　　5. Mizu no Hentai （Water and its Transformation）
Song : ANDO Masateru　
　　 　Koto Melody : ANDO Masateru
　　　　　　 　Koto Counter Pert : ANDO Masateru

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1. Godanginuta　　 　Uta,Koto Honte : ANDO Masateru / Koto Kaede : NOSAKA Souju

2. Shouckikubai　　  Uta,Koto Honte : ANDO Masateru / Uta,Sangen : YAMASE Shouin

3. Yaegoromo　　Uta,Koto Honte : ANDO Masateru / Uta,Sangen : YONEKAWA Fumiko
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1. Miyamajishi　 　Uta,Koto Honte : ANDO Masateru / Uta,Sangen : TOMIYAMA Seikin

2. Shakkyo　　  　Uta,Koto Honte : ANDO Masateru / Uta,Sangen : FUKAMI Satomi

3. Zangetsu　　Uta,Koto Honte : ANDO Masateru / Uta,Sangen : FUJII Hirokazu
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1. FuyunoKyoku 　　Uta,Koto Kaede : ANDO Masateru / Uta,Koto Honte : YONEKAWA Toshiko

2. RokudannoShirabe/Syouraifu  　Syouraifu : ANDO Masateru / Uta,Sangen : FUKAMI Satomi

3. ChidorinoKyoku　　　　　　　　Uta,Koto Honte : ANDO Masateru / Uta,Sangen : FUJII Hirokazu

4. HototogisunoKyoku　Uta,Koto Kaede: ANDO Masateru / Uta,Koto Honte: YONEKAWA Fumiko
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1. Haru no Umi (The Spring Sea)
Koto : ANDO Masateru
　　　　 Shakuhachi(Bamboo flute) : YAMAMOTO Hozan

2.Haru no Umi (The Spring Sea)
for Shakuhachi player(with guide)

3. Haru no Umi (The Spring Sea)
for Shakuhachi player(without guide)

4. Haru no Umi (The Spring Sea)
for Koto player(with guide)

5. Haru no Umi (The Spring Sea)
for Koto player(without guide)



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Summary

When an inexperienced 17 string koto player performs in ensemble with a 13 string koto, the time lag between the larger 17 string koto in relation to the smaller 13 string koto is often a problem. This research compares and analyzes the structure of the time succession in both instruments with the following points in mind;

l)  performer’s action

    -- commencement of player’s muscular movement
    -- plucking of the string with the finger pluck

2)  vibration of the instrument

   -- commencement of the string vibration
    -- creation aud transmission of sound

3) various aspects of the instrumental sound and acoustics as measured from listenerts position

4)  various aspects of the instrumental sound and acoustics as judged by the listener’s perception

The main body of data for the experiment came from subjects who were practiced performers , teachers , or their apprentices. In this experiment , 2 players were recorded playing on a 17 string koto and 13 string koto simultaneously. Then the following differences were reoorded and analyzed:

l) the EMG of certain muscles in the performer

2) wave patterns of the vibration of the two koto’s acoustical bodies

3) the sound as heard from the listener’s position ( about 5 m in front ot the instruments)

This experiment made clear the following points:

I . As concerns the instrument:

The time required for the sound to peak, and the "touch noise"( the time required to overcome the noise of the finger pluck as it hits the string ------NB, the so called "touch noise" is a performance technique which occurs frequently.) is about 9 ms longeir in the 17 string koto than the 13 string koto.

II. As concerns the performer:

When both instruments were plucked simultaneously, it was noticed that the abductor policis brevis muscle of the thumb moved before the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle of the arm, however, it was also observed that in the case of the 17 string koto, both of the player's arm and finger muscles clearly began to move earlier than the same muscles of the 13 string koto player.

III. As concerns the listener:

In order to allow the listener to hear the sound of the two koto simultaneously, it was realized by this research that the two instrunents must actually be plucked at nearly the same time (plus or minus 5 ms timed from the beginning of free vibration), though transient characteristics of sound generated from each instrument are quite different from each other.

Conclusion:

In considering the three points mentioned above , the conclusion was reached that in order for the two instruments to be heard simultaneously, the performer on the 17 string koto must always keep slightly ahead (about 26 ms) of the 13 string koto player. Furthermore, when a performer changes instruments from a 13 string koto to a 17 string koto, the performance must be undertaken with full cognition of the existence of this time lag.