Koto Player Brandon Lee at the Matsudo Week 2019

"Koto is an incredible instrument. Depending on who plays the instrument, it creates a variety of sound," said Brandon Lee, Melbourne-based Koto master. He shares his story prior to his performance at "Moonlight; poetry, shakuhachi, koto and sumi-e", part of the Matsudo Week celebrations in the City of Whitehorse.

Brandon Lee, performing at Federation Square Source: Supplied

Brandon was an ordinary teenager, growing up listening to Japanese pop music in Malaysia. One day, he came across with a Japanese visual band called Kaggrra. The use of Koto in the Japanese rock band was so unique that Brandon was instantly attracted to the instrument. At that moment, Brandon knew he wanted to learn Koto.

He started learning Koto when he came to Melbourne. He eventually moved to Japan and learned Koto as a live-in apprentice for Kazue Sawai, one of the well-known Koto players who continue to explore the new potential of the Japanese traditional instrument.

Brandon is performing at "Moonlight: poetry, shakuhachi, koto and sumi-e", in collaboration with Anne Norman, Shakuhachi musician and Junko Azukawa, calligrapher/sumi-e artist at Box Hill Arts Community Centre on May 10th at 8pm. It is part of the annual season of concerts by Melbourne's muticultural music presenter, The Boite.

(c) Junko Azukawa Source: (c) Junko Azukawa

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