02/24 Open Day Last Sunday with the Harp and Koto Duo

The Harp & Koto Duo return to the garden! Hear the lyrical sound of these Western and Eastern stringed instruments played together in Sakura. A musical partnership between Saeko Kujiraoka and Miriam Suzuki, Harp & Koto Duo’s original renditions of traditional and contemporary melodies cross musical and cultural borders and delight audiences of all ages. 

Saeko Kujiraoka studied the Ikuta technique of koto playing in Tokyo and received an advanced degree in koto, sangen (aka shamisen), and classical singing from the Michio Miyagi School of Koto in Japan. Since moving to Los Angeles, she has performed widely, taught koto classes, played with ”Yerak” (an intercultural jazz group), Japan America Chamber Ensemble, jazz & Bossa Nova groups, and has been involved in movie soundtrack recordings including Kung Fu Panda.

Miriam Suzuki grew up near Kyoto surrounded by a musical family, began learning the piano at age 5 and at age 7, she discovered the harp, her main musical passion. She lived in Finland and moved to Southern California in 1983, where she is inspired to express her own multi-cultural background in her music, performing in genres ranging from Celtic to pop and classical and composing original harp arrangements.