Oberlin Improv Fest: Kojiro Umezaki Presentation

Kojiro Umezaki presents his work featuring global and hybrid practices in acoustic and electronic music.

Noted by The New York Times as a "virtuosic, deeply expressive shakuhachi player and composer" and the Los Angeles Times as one of the "better kept secrets of Southern California music," Kojiro Umezaki (梅崎康二郎) has performed regularly with the Silkroad Ensemble since 2001. He appears on the Grammy Award winning album Sing Me Home, A Playlist Without Borders, Off the Map, and the Grammy-nominated 2015 documentary film, The Music of Strangers, directed by Morgan Neville. In a Circle Records released Cycles—an album of original work—in 2014, and 流芳 Flow, a duo album with Wu Man in 2021. Other notable recordings as performer, composer, and/or producer include Brooklyn Rider's Dominant Curve, Nicole Mitchell's Mandorla Awakening II, Kei Akagi's Aqua Puzzle, and Huun Huur Tu's Ancestors Call. Born to a Japanese father and Danish mother, Umezaki grew up in Tokyo, and continues to explore global and hybrid practices in music.

-----

About the Oberlin Improv Fest

The Oberlin Improv Fest 2023 (OIF23) is a 3-day celebration of improvised music featuring a panel discussion, workshops, presentations, and performances.  Special guest artists include Nicole Mitchell, Ko Umezaki, Aurora Nealand '01, and Luis Perdomo. The festival will also feature performances from the Jazz Forum, OCTaiko, Creative Music Lab, and the Silent Film Ensemble, among others.

Four concerts showcase exciting performances with AI-based interactive and immersive sound, group improvisation, jazz, and Oberlin's PI program. All events are free and open to the public. 

This event is organized with support from the TIMARA Department, Office of the Dean of the Oberlin Conservatory, Office of Oberlin Conservatory Professional Development, and the Alumni in Service to Oberlin College (ASOC) Fund.