Mitsuki Dazai

Mitsuki is a graduate of Japan's renowned Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo where she majored in vocal performance in the Western Classical tradition. During the course of her studies, she felt drawn to the non-western traditions of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Interest in these areas eventually led Mitsuki on a circuitous route to a discovery of traditional Japanese music and the koto. She studied traditional koto music at the Ikuta School. Inspired by the cultural veneration for this instrument, she next pursued advanced studies in contemporary koto music at Sawai Sokyokuin, with instruction by modern koto Master Tadao Sawai and world-renowned Kazue Sawai. Dazai moved to Oregon in 2002, serving as a guest lecturer at universities in Oregon, as an artistic director of new koto ensemble group, Oregon Koto-Kai (Japanese Koto Society of Oregon) and touring throughout the US, Europe, South America and Japan. In 2010, Dazai was featured on Oregon Art Beat, and released two CDs —Autumn, Music for solo koto (2007), and Far Away…Romances for Koto (2010) in collaboration with Grammy nominated composer Michael Hoppe. Her artistry is also featured on the album Shanti Samsara; World Music for Environmental Consciousness, produced by Grammy Winning Composer, Ricky Kej. In 2016, she was invited to 21C Music Festival in Toronto, Canada and played with Continuum Contemporary Music. Mitsuki is currently active as a solo and ensemble concert artist and collaborates with various artists. Her musical background is both diverse and extensive as a performer and innovator, arranging and composing koto music in different styles. Not limiting herself to music traditionally associated with the koto, her performances often incorporate western, pop and improvisational elements and arrangements, challenging the many voices of the koto and allowing her to relate the kotoutf's appeal to a variety of audiences