CALENDAR

Duo YUMENO will return to “Culture Bridge” concert series presented by Queens Public Library. The program will include duo’s commission work, Mayu Masuda’s “Moon Songs”, Daron Hagen’s “Heike Quinto” and more.

Celebrating Japanese Women in Music
Lady Murasaki, who is considered the world’s first novelist, is one of the many women who have played an integral part in Japanese culture. The duo will celebrate such pioneers as well as female composers who continue to shape the future of Japanese music.

(Photo by Robert Essel)

Ichi-go Ichi-e series is presented by Japan Society in New York. Join us for an intimate evening of traditional Japanese music with acclaimed koto and shamisen artist Yoko Reikano Kimura at Globus Washitsu—a serene Kyoto-style tatami room and ryokan.

This exclusive member-only event on March 26 showcases Yoko Reikano Kimura, a master performer whose artistry has been hailed as “superb” by The New York Times. Kimura has performed at prestigious venues worldwide, from Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center to Japan’s historic Kabuki-za and National Theatre. A first-prize winner at the Kenjun Memorial National Koto Competition, she trained under disciples of legendary Yamada-school masters and continues to champion classical Japanese music through her concert series, Four Seasons in New York.

(Photo by Robert Essel)

Duo YUMENO will perform at Between the Bars event presented by New Asia Chamber Music Society focusing on Japanese shamisen and duo’s versatile repertoires.

 

New York’s music scene reflects the diverse and vibrant culture of the city. Yoko Reikano Kimura began “Four Seasons in New York – Gems of Japanese Music –” series in the fall of 2015. As a Japanese instrumentalist, Kimura hopes to introduce the brilliance of traditional Japanese music, which is still being passed on to future generations after many centuries. Since the first concert, over 65 works from the classical repertoire have been introduced in the concert series. Please come and experience the sounds of Japanese Music. After the concert, matcha will be served by Souheki Mori, tea master and the owner of Setsugekka, which is the destination of matcha connoisseurs in New York.

For ticket reservation, please visit here.

This concert series is co-presented by Yoko Reikano Kimura and Setsugekka. Supported by Hogaku Journal.

【Program】
Enoshima no Kyoku composed by Yamada-kengyo
Sukeroku Yukari no Edozakura (Kato-bushi) and more

 

Yoko Reikano Kimura will perform Jakub Polacyzik’s “Stabat Mater” as shamisen performer. The details will be announced soon.

 

As traditional Japanese vocal performer, Yoko Reikano Kimura will perform Amane Sakaguchi’s new work at MATA Festival.

In the 1930s, several Japanese companies produced films made on paper (“kami firumu”) instead of celluloid. The Japanese Paper Film Project preserves the surviving movies and promotes scholarship about these films. From 1932 to 1938, two Japanese companies dominated the paper film market. Most well-known are REFCY, based in Tokyo, and Katei Toki (“Home Talkie”), based in Osaka. They produced animated and live action films, often in color. Moreover, many of the films contained synchronized sound tracks on 78 rpm vinyl. Given the short period of production, the varying paper quality, and WWII’s devastation, very few Japanese paper film prints survive. Now, almost ninety years later, the handful of surviving prints are beginning to deteriorate. Thus, this project is racing against time to preserve the films before they disappear entirely.

This special presentation, compiled specifically for the Dryden Theatre, will include a talk from Project Supervisor Eric Faden and be accompanied by music from Duo YUMENO, a koto and cello duo, for the silent films in the program.

(Photo by Valerio Greco)

デュオ夢乃リサイタル – Air （エアー）Vol. 3 (京都公演)

2026年のデュオ夢乃リサイタル（京都公演）は、京都上京区の興聖寺・涅槃堂にて開催です。2024年より開始したシリーズ「Air -　エアー」では、和洋問わず音楽の命である「うた」をテーマに、新旧の委嘱作品を織り交ぜたプログラムとなっています。

【プログラム】
森円花：青海波の舞　＊2026年委嘱初演
ダロン・ハーゲン：Appassionato (平家組曲）より　＊デュオ委嘱
光崎検校：秋風の曲
林光：土神ときつね　他

【チケットのお申し込み】
①上記チケットリンク（ライブポケット）
②デュオ夢乃コンサート事務局 （yokohikaruduo(at)hotmail.com)
*atを＠に変えてご送信ください。
*公演日、お客さまのお名前、券種、ご購入枚数を記入の上、お知らせください。

Duo YUMENO Recital in Tokyo
The duo will hold its annual Tokyo recital at Tokyo Concerts Lab. featuring this year’s commission work composed by Madoka Mori, one of the most prominent Japanese composers in her generation and versatile repertoire including both traditional and contemporary works..

デュオ夢乃リサイタル – Air （エアー）Vol. 3 (東京公演)

2026年のデュオ夢乃リサイタル（東京公演）は、トーキョーコンサーツ・ラボにて開催です。2024年より開始したシリーズ「Air -　エアー」では、和洋問わず音楽の命である「うた」をテーマに、新旧の委嘱作品を織り交ぜたプログラムとなっています。

【プログラム】
森円花：青海波の舞　＊2026年委嘱初演
ダロン・ハーゲン：Appassionato (平家組曲）より　＊デュオ委嘱
光崎検校：秋風の曲
林光：土神ときつね　他

【チケットのお申し込み】
①上記チケットリンク（ライブポケット）
②デュオ夢乃コンサート事務局 （yokohikaruduo(at)hotmail.com)
*atを＠に変えてご送信ください。
*公演日、お客さまのお名前、券種、ご購入枚数を記入の上、お知らせください。

Duo YUMENO Recital in Tokyo
The duo will hold its annual Tokyo recital at Tokyo Concerts Lab. featuring this year’s commission work composed by Madoka Mori, one of the most prominent Japanese composers in her generation and versatile repertoire including both traditional and contemporary works..

New York’s music scene reflects the diverse and vibrant culture of the city. Yoko Reikano Kimura began “Four Seasons in New York – Gems of Japanese Music –” series in the fall of 2015. As a Japanese instrumentalist, Kimura hopes to introduce the brilliance of traditional Japanese music, which is still being passed on to future generations after many centuries. Since the first concert, over 65 works from the classical repertoire have been introduced in the concert series. Please come and experience the sounds of Japanese Music. After the concert, matcha will be served by Souheki Mori, tea master and the owner of Setsugekka, which is the destination of matcha connoisseurs in New York.
This concert series is co-presented by Yoko Reikano Kimura and Setsugekka. Supported by Hogaku Journal.

[Program] Yugao – Evening Glory – (by Kikuoka-kengyo)
Hototogisu – Little Cuckoo – (by Yamada-kengyo)
Choryu – Tide – (by Seiju Suzuki)

*Thankfully the tickets are almost sold-out. Please make reservation in advance.

From the description of Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art’s website:

Live musical accompaniment by Duo YUMENO. Introduction by Eric Faden, supervisor of The Japanese Paper Film Project.
Glimpse some of the few surviving examples of film made on paper instead of celluloid (kami firumu), a rare form of filmmaking from 1930s Japan. Companies in this field produced both animated and live-action films, often in color. Many of the films contained synchronized soundtracks on 78 rpm vinyl.
So few film prints of this type survive because of the short period of production, the varying paper quality, and the devastation of WWII. Now, almost ninety years later, the handful of surviving prints are beginning to deteriorate. The Japanese Paper Film Project is racing against time to preserve the films before they disappear entirely.

About Duo YUMENO
New York–based koto/shamisen player and singer Yoko Reikano Kimura and cellist Hikaru Tamaki create a singular fusion sound, inspired by tradition but with a contemporary sensibility. Duo Yumeno’s repertoire includes a dynamic range of compositions—both traditional and contemporary—all of which explore the dialogue between classical Japanese and Western music.
(Photography by Valerio Greco)

New York based ensemble, INTERWOVEN will give annual recital. The program will include Jay Reise – Orpheus in Meikai for Koto and String Quartet and more.

Parthenia and Duo YUMENO combine their artistry to blend east with west, old with new, in works for koto and cello, viol consort, and five viols and koto, featuring dances by John Dowland and a world premier by Japanese composer Yoko Sato.

Parthenia is one of the most leading consort music ensembles in New York city and it is hailed by the New Yorker as  “one of the brightest lights in New York’s early-music scene.” Duo YUMENO is Yoko Reikano Kimura, koto and voice, and Hikaru Tamaki, cello and viol.