Traditional BIWA

The stringed instrument which has the origin in ancient Persia as well as lute etc.

Through the Silk Road, the musical instrument which became PIPA in China

was introduced into Japan

around the 7th or 8th century, and became a biwa.

It was a court musical instrument in the beginning.After that,

a blind priest began to play Biwa and tell that the past samurai battle.

Therefore, the biwa became a samurai's musical instrument gradually.

 

In the contemporary,

In 1967, Tsuruta sensei first played on the piece November Steps,

composed by Takemitsu Toru.

This was the first time traditional Japanese musical instruments

were combined with western orchestra. Through November Steps,

Tsuruta Kinshi exposed the world outside of Japan to the deep beauty of the biwa