The Tale of Heike lecture/recital
This musical and academic event is illustrated with projected images of scenes from the Tale of Heike. Yoko performs four of the classic biwa compositions, all episodes illustrating the amours, battles and tragedies suffered by both warring clans, the Minamoto and Taira clans of 12th century Japan, and illuminates some of the Buddhist undertones that are woven into the tapestry of the book.

In this way she is bringing to life the Tale as it has been done for centuries, with singing voice and a dynamic and expressive biwa accompaniment.

Ms. Hiraoka's depth of knowledge of Heike and the social conditions of the time come into play as she explains how tensions arose between the clans, how noble courtiers lived and loved and how upon retelling over many years, the stories developed into a unified melange of truth and fiction through the hands of a multitude of different authors.

She explains the development of the biwa as an instrument, from origins as diverse as sutra chanting monks and the formal Gagaku orchestra.

Librettos of all the sung pieces are provided to audiences in both English and phonetic Japanese.

Biwa Residency
Besides presenting her formal lecture/recital, Ms. Hiraoka is often invited to lecture in the classroom, addressing music students, Literature students, and, less formally, Japanese student groups on campus. She also presents to K-12 teachers and students as an outreach component of her campus visits.

These various activities often constitute a two or three day residency. Please enquire for more details.

Please contact David Sawyer at: (303) 666-5581 david@japanshakuhachi.com