ENSEMBLE NJ_P

Composer Gene Coleman formed Ensemble N_JP in 2001 as a vehicle for his on going work with musicians from Japan. Through concert programs, multimedia works and educational projects, the group explores connections between contemporary and traditional forms of art. N_JP is made up of musicians who work with Coleman on a project-by-project basis. It unites outstanding Japanese and US musicians from the traditional, experimental and contemporary classical music communities, along with guest artists from Europe. Ensemble N_JP has performed in a number of important festivals and venues since it’s inception, these include the I-House of Tokyo, Pitt Inn Shinjuku, Kidailack Art House (Tokyo), The House of World Cultures Berlin, The Dresden Society Theater, The Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art, Lake Forest College, The Chicago World Music Festival, I-House Philadelphia, The Blurred Edges Festival in Hamburg, The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago, The Japan Society NY, University of Illinois Urbana, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, MaerzMusik Festival, Warsaw Autumn Festival and The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

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ENSEMBLE NJ_P

Performing ar Roulette in NYC

The group’s members include:

  • Gene COLEMAN (composer, founder and artistic director)

  • Ko ISHIKAWA (sho {bamboo mouth organ})

  • Naomi SATO (sho)

  • Naoko KIKUCHI (koto)

  • Yoko Reikano KIMURA (koto and shamisen)

  • Toshimaru NAKAMURA (live electronics)

  • Kazuhisa UCHIHASHI (guitar and daxophone)

  • Nick MILLEVOI (e-guitar)

  • Teddy RANKIN-PARKER (cello)

  • Adam VIDIKSIS (conductor and percussion)

  • Hikaru TAMAKI (cello)

Guest artists that have been featured include:

  • XASAX Quartet (France)

  • Mike Svoboda (Germany/USA)

  • Vincent Royer (France)

  • WU Wei (China)

  • Harry Sparnay (Netherlands)

  • Otomo Yoshihide (Japan)

  • Ensemble Noamnesia (USA)

  • PHACE Ensemble (Austria)

  • Ensemble E-MEX (Germany)

  • Akikazu NAKAMURA (Japan)

  • Rei HOTODA (conductor)

  • Sasamoto TAKESHI (ryuteki {bamboo flute})

  • Yumiko TANAKA (shamisen {Japanese banjo})

Ensemble NJ_P in Hamburg

Ensemble NJ_P in Hamburg

Ensemble N_JP: Recent Programs

November 7th, 2014 at Neighborhood House (Philadelphia): N_JP plays Gene Coleman’s “Systole I” and a new version of “9 Chains…”, Duo Yumeno plays Coleman’s “Kirigami I” (commissioned by Chamber Music America). The program includes an audio visual presentation by architect Jenny Sabin and the scientists Randy Kamien and Shu Yang on their National Science Foundation research into using Kirigami to create new materials and structures. See: Nano to Macro: Music of Kirigami  http://www.bowerbird.org/newsite/events/141107/

November 17th, 2013 at Filmpodium (Zurich, Switzerland): N_JP plays Gene Coleman’s “Spiral Network” in the Zurich New Music Days Festival, with special guest Matthias Mueller-Kopp (baritone voice), conducted by Zoï Tsokanou (see: http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/kultur/de/index/veranstaltungen/tfnm/programm-2012.html )

October 17, 2013 at Roulette in New York City:World Premiere of Sendai Transmissions a music video composition by Gene Coleman, commissioned by Ensemble N_JP, Chamber Music America and The Graham Foundation. Featuring Naomi Sato and Ko Ishikawa (sho), Naoko Kikuchi and Yoko Reikano Kimura (kotos and voice), Teddy Rankin-Parker and Hikaru Tamaki (cellos), Nick Millevoi (electric guitar) and Toshimaru Nakamura (live electronics), conducted by Adam Vidiksis. Cinematography by Ryutaro Hakamata, with video animation by Chris Landau and editing and graphics by Nick Lerman. Also the NY premiere of “Spiral Network” by Gene Coleman, featuring N_JP with guest artist Thomas Buckner (baritone voice).

October 18, 2013 at The Rotunda in Philadelphia:Philadelphia premiere of “Sendai Transmissions”, with Ensemble N_JP conducted by Adam Vidiksis. Also on the program was “Bairo” a music and dance work by Gene Coleman and Shaily Dadiala. Presented by Bowerbird

October 20-22 2013 at The University of Illinois Urbana:N_JP residency at The University of Illinois Urbana – lectures and presentations by Gene Coleman, Ko Ishikawa and Naomi Sato

October 22, 2013 at The Kranert Center Great Hall:Midwest premiere of Sendai Transmissions, Ensemble N_JP conducted by Stephen Taylor

October 23, 2013 at The Renaissance Socity (U of Chicago):Chicago premiere of “Sendai Transmissions” by Gene Coleman. Ensemble N_JP, conducted by Stephen Taylor (see: http://vimeo.com/78265185 )

June 15th, 2013 at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral:The Crossing and N_JP premier Gene Coleman’s new work “Water of the Last Moment”, with texts by Pierre Joris, commissioned by The Crossing and The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage.

Featuring The Crossing (24 voice choir) with Ko Ishikawa (sho), Toshimaru Nakamura and Adam Vidiksis (live electronics), conducted by Donald Nally.

See: http://www.crossingchoir.com/Concerts_1213_MOM1.html

Soundcloud 10’ excerpt: https://soundcloud.com/gene-coleman/water-of-the-last-moment-10

June 7th, 2013 at International House Philadelphia:Ensemble N_JP: Music of Gene Coleman

“Spiral Network” (2013, US Premiere) for two voices and ensemble

Tom Buckner (voice), Naoko Kikuchi (voice and koto), Ko Ishikawa (sho), Gene Coleman (bass clarinet), Nick Millevoi (e-guitar), Alex Waterman (cello)

“9 Chains…” (2012) for ensemble and video projection

Naoko Kikuchi (koto), Ko Ishikawa (sho), Gene Coleman (bass clarinet), Nick Millevoi (e-guitar), Alex Waterman (cello), Toshimaru Nakamura (live electronics)

“Our Private Sky” (2012) for trombone and electric guitar (Archer Spade: Dan Blacksberg and Nick Millevoi)

See: http://www.crossingchoir.com/Concerts_1213_TG.html

March 20, 2013, Konzerthaus Wien (Berio Hall):Austrian Premiere of “A Page of Madness” by Gene Coleman

Phace Ensemble with N_JP musicians Naomi Sato (sho) and Naoko Kikuchi (koto)

See: http://www.phace.at/en/calendar/2013/13March20/

March 18, 2013 Maerzmusik Festival, Berlin:World Premiere of “A Page of Madness” and “Spiral Network” by Gene Coleman

Phace Ensemble with N_JP musicians Naomi Sato (sho) and Naoko Kikuchi (koto)

See: http://www.americanacademy.de/home/program/past/musical-portrait-gene-coleman

See: http://www.phace.at/en/calendar/2013/2013March18/

See: http://www.berlinerfestspiele.de/en/aktuell/festivals/maerzmusik/mm13_programm/mm13_konzerte/mm13_veranstaltungsdetail_56416.php

October 28th, 2012 at the Renaissance Society at The University of Chicago:Ensemble N_JP, conducted by Stephen Taylor

Chicago premiere of “9 Chains…”

Yoko Reikano Kimura (koto), Naomi Sato (sho), Gene Coleman (bass clarinet), Nick Millevoi (e-guitar), Teddy Rankin-Parker (cello), Toshimaru Nakamura (live electronics)

See: http://www.renaissancesociety.org/site/Exhibitions/Events/View.Danh-Vo-Uterus-Gene-Coleman-and-Ensemble-N_JP.629.919.html?forceFlash=1

October 25th, 2012 at theUniversity of Illinois at Urbana (Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum):600 South Gregory, Urbana

IJPAN Program: Gene Coleman and Ensemble N_JP, conducted by Stephen Taylor

“9 Chains…” by Gene Coleman, plus traditional Japanese music

Yoko Reikano Kimura (koto), Naomi Sato (sho), Gene Coleman (bass clarinet), Nick Millevoi (e-guitar), Teddy Rankin-Parker (cello), Toshimaru Nakamura (live electronics)

See: http://cwm.illinois.edu/node/618

April 28th, 2012 at International House Philadelphia:Ensemble N_JP, conducted by Adam Vidksis

World Premiere of “9 Chains…”

Yoko Reikano Kimura (koto), Naomi Sato (sho), Gene Coleman (bass clarinet), Nick Millevoi (e-guitar), Teddy Rankin-Parker (cello), Toshimaru Nakamura (live electronics)

See: http://ihousephilly.org/events/ensemble-n_jp/

April 2012 at Rutgers University (Camden)Lecture and concert by N_JP members Naomi Sato, Toshimaru Nakamura and Gene Coleman

December 8th, 2011 at The University of Illinois at Urbana (Krannert Center):Gene Coleman and Ensemble N_JP, conducted by Rei Hotoda

Premiere of 2nd version of “Kyoto-Naigai” by Gene Coleman

Yoko Reikano Kimura (koto), Naomi Sato (sho), Gene Coleman (bass clarinet), Nick Millevoi (e-guitar), Teddy Rankin-Parker (cello), Toshimaru Nakamura (live electronics), Erik Lund (trombone), Michael Cameron (contrabass)

See: http://ijpan.ncsa.illinois.edu/ijpan/?q=node/180

April 14th, 2011 at International House Philadelphia:Ensemble N_JP in PIFA (Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts)

World Premiere of “Wave upon Wave” and “Kyoto-Naigai”

Gene Coleman (bass clarinet), Teddy Rankin-Parker (cello), Naomi Sato (sho), Naoko Kikuchi (koto), Yoko Kimura (koto), Nick Millevoi (e-guitar), Dan Blacksberg (trombone), William Costa (live electronics)

See: http://ihousephilly.org/events/pifa-wave-upon-wave/

April 17th 2011 at The Calvary Church of Philadelphia:

Ensemble N_JP and Guests play traditional Japanese music

See: http://crossroadsconcerts.org/?p=2567#more-2567

October 23rd, 2010 at The Museum of Modern Art, New York:Gene Coleman and Ensemble N_JP, conducted by Rei Hotoda

New York premiere of 1st version of “A Page of Madness”

Gene Coleman (bass clarinet), Alex Waterman (cello), Stephanie Griffin (viola), Evan Lipson (contrabass), Akikazu Nakamura (shakuhachi), Toshiko Kuto (koto)

See: http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/film_screenings/10586

October 22nd, 2010 at International House Philadelphia:Gene Coleman and Ensemble N_JP, conducted by Rei Hotoda

World premiere of 1st version of “A Page of Madness”

Gene Coleman (bass clarinet), Alex Waterman (cello), Stephanie Griffin (viola), Evan Lipson (contrabass), Akikazu Nakamura (shakuhachi), Toshiko Kuto (koto)

See article: http://archives.citypaper.net/print-article.php?aid=22867