Mother-Son Duo Receives Two National Awards

Released by:Koto World, Elizabeth Falconer

Summary:
Two National Awards have been given to \"Japanese Music for Chocolate Lovers,\" released in March.

For_Immediate_Release:
"Chocolate Suite – Japanese Music for Chocolate Lovers," released in March, has received two national awards. From iParenting, it has received a “Hottest Product of 2004” award, and from Parents’ Choice a Recommended Award. The CD features the mother-son duo, “Wasabi!”

Why chocolate? “It all started when I wrote a koto duo for my son, who absolutely loves chocolate,” Elizabeth explains. “We began to play the piece two years ago, and audiences love it.” The title work is divided into three movements: Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, and Dark Chocolate. “I want to help break koto music out of its stuffy, academic image. You don’t have to be a Japanologist or practice Zen meditation to enjoy koto music,” she says. “To me, koto music is fun and inspiring, warm and uplifting. Connecting this to something like chocolate is a way to share my own feelings about the music with new listeners,” she explains. “Koto is the perfect sound to pair with chocolate. As an artist, it is a continuation of my exploration with this instrument, finding new ways to sharing Japanese culture and music while staying true to the tradition.”

Elizabeth recorded the CD with her 12-year old son, Brian, who has been playing koto since he was six. “He took to koto like a kid to a chocolate bar,” she recalls. The CD includes several other duos by Falconer and a solo by Brian written by the Japanese composer Miyagi Michio. “Anyone who thinks this is anything less than a professional-level recording because there is a young musician involved needs to listen to this CD, “ Falconer says. “They will be pleasantly surprised.”

Brian, who is homeschooled, has Japanese and koto as part of his everyday curriculum. Along with his translator father and touring performer mother, the whole family has traveled extensively, including two trips to Japan, where Brian had lessons with this mother’s teacher, Kazue Sawai, and performed in Tokyo. Brian’s other interests are drawing, reading, running, and cooking. “We felt the best thing we could do as homeschooling parents was to make our everyday lives a part of the schooling experience,” Elizabeth says.

Brian and his younger brother Jesse were adopted when Brian was five. “Soon after we adopted them I told Brian I would teach him koto if he learned the 13 Japanese symbols for the strings. The next day, he asked me to test him, and he knew them all. I never imagined he would have such a natural talent.” A lot of subjects can be covered with music; he quickly learned basic math, as he counted the strings and learned their relationships to each other. “But most of all, music has been a means for us to bond,” says Elizabeth.

Falconer has been successfully bringing Japanese music to a larger audience; her award-winning recordings of “Koto Tales,” which she calls “musical adventures” are aimed at young listeners. Her new release is “for all ages….and that means kids, too!” Chocolate Suite is available at amazon, Cdbaby, and www.kotoworld.com, as well as at specialty shops. Contact Koto World for further information.

For more details:

Koto World 15722 SE 166th Place Renton, WA 98058 1-877-430-1972 Fax 425-430-1987 email: info@kotoworld.com