Chikushi Katsuko
筑紫 歌都子
7/30/1904 - 10/28/1984
Koto & Composer
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Born on July 30 of Meiji 37 (1904), Katsuko Chikushi was a child prodigy. She started playing music at age 5, beginning with the kokyū and followed by several styles of shamisen (gidayu, nagauta and hauta). Later in life, she learned a number of instruments, including koto, violin, Taishō-goto and various keyboard instruments, among others. It was her talents on the shamisen that first attracted the notice of Gorō Sakamoto, head of the Dai Nihon Katei Ongakkai, which was then and is to this day one of the largest music publishing houses in Japan. In order to foster her talents, Sakamoto received permission from her family to adopt Chikushi in 1917, and he moved her to his home town of Hakata (now part of Fukuoka). Her adoption marked the start of her intense traditional musical training. She was a natural and could apparently learn difficult pieces in a matter of days, memorizing Rokudan no shirabe by the second day and finishing Chidori no kyoku in four (she said the extra days were because there was both a song and an instrumental portion). In 1921, Chikushi began working on the publication of new texts for koto music, employing a new concept invented by Sakamoto. It involved using horizontal lines to indicate bars and beats, so that tempo and note duration could be shown. (Up to this time, the only thing indicated was a string's number; one's teacher provided all the rest of the information.) Chikushi could transcribe almost on sight or on hearing, and many of the transcriptions she did for the Dai Nihon Katei Ongakkai's standard “green” koto book series are still in use today. Chikushi was originally strongly drawn to the violin but, after studying it for a while, she realized that her hands were too small to reach octaves and she had to give it up. With the violin gone, her serious interest in playing koto was rekindled. She also began composing and, in 1923, completed her first koto composition entitled Gekko gensōkyoku. The piece ran about four minutes and was originally written for koto and violin. Chikushi often played the violin part herself. In 1924, Sakamoto brought her together with Michio Miyagi. Miyagi played them his newest composition, Aki no shirabe, and it was this piece that gave Chikushi the final impetus to devote the rest of her life to koto music. Sakamoto's company had been granted the rights to publish Miyagi's pieces. Thanks to her ear and her ability to understand musically what he was trying to do, Miyagi requested Chikushi as his personal scribe. She handled most, if not all, of his transcriptions for the company for about fifteen years. In the early 1920s, Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (NHK) was established as the Japan Radio Broadcasting Corporation. Chikushi was one of the first traditional musicians invited to perform for them. In November 1926, she played two of her compositions (Gekko gensōkyoku and Kari to tsubame) on air and went on over the years to do a number of other performances for NHK and for other radio and TV broadcasting companies. She wrote prolifically, developing radical new koto tunings, using revolutionary musical styles, attracting powerful sponsors and developing both local and international followings. She was the official or head koto teacher at several schools, including Tōkyō Semmon Gakuin and Tokyo Komagome Girls' School. She became very well-known as a performer, composer and recording artist. In 1948, the powers that be of the traditional music world decided that Chikushi's playing style and fame justified her being given her own school and the rank of iemoto (head of the school). In seaching for a school name, one suggestion was Tsukushi. It was considered auspicious because of its associations with the ancient Tsukushi koto school (from which both Ikuta and Yamada koto styles descend), with the old name for the Kyushu area where the school was based, and with the Man'yōshū, in which Tsukushi was mentioned. In order to add a modern touch, the alternate reading for the characters, Chikushi, was chosen and thus the Chikushikai was officially launched and publicized in 1949. During the 1950s and 1960s, Chikushi composed numerous works, regularly gave concerts and went on tour (both solo and with Chikushikai members). She recorded many pieces (for King Records and Teichiku Records, among others) and was featured frequently on radio and TV programs for NKH, RKB Mainichi and other stations. In 1961, her versions of Chidori no kyoku and Shin Takasago were specifically cited by the Ministry of Education and recommended as mandatory classroom material for Middle School. Around this same time, she began playing with koto performers from other schools and made an LP with Tadao Sawai for RCA Victor entitled Chōfū no barādo (Ballads of a Lake Breeze). In 1972, she won the Grand Prize at the Tokyo National Arts Festival. In 1972, Chikushi was also awarded the Ranjū-hōshō, the Indigo Ribbon Medal of Honour. This award is an Imperial award, reserved for those who dedicate their life to their art. It represented the highest level of achievement in the Arts & Letters category. Katsuko Chikushi was the only female recipient in that year. She was also made a national companion of the Japan Academy and was granted a formal audience with the Emperor afterwards. Katsuko Chikushi died on October 28, 1984 (Showa 59) at 80 years of age
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Students
Chikushi Miyoko 1926 - 2023 |
Tracks Recorded
| Pieces | Kanji | Length | Album | Instrument | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yachio Jishi | 八千代獅子 | 07'38 | Selections from Koto, Shamisen and Shakuhachi | Koto |
Composed or Arranged
| Shakuhachi Compositions | |||
| Title | Kanji | Year | Alternate Title |
| Yoshino Shizuka | 吉野静 |
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| Koto | |||
| Hagoromo (Chikushi) | Feather Mantle | ||
| Kosame no Yoru | Misty Night | ||
| Maboroshi no Hashira | 幻の柱 |
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| Maboroshi wo Oute | 幻を追うて |
Pursuit of Illusion | |
| Nagare (Chikushi) | 流 |
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| Yoshino Shizuka | 吉野静 |
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| Yuki no Genso (Chikushi) | 雪の幻想 |
Snow Fantasy | |
| Nagare (Chikushi) | 流れ |
1934 |
Flowing |
| Heiwa no Inori | 平和の祈り |
1952 |
Prayer for Peace |