“The Japanese Extreme” is the headline of the third night (29 May) of the London Contemporary Music Festival 2014 at Britannia House, Spitalfields, London. The organisers have put together an impressive and bold line-up that crosses genre boundaries: Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Himmels Tür, (a percussion piece of Japanese inspiration) the Japanese noise act Pain Jerk, and…… NOH THEATRE.

Udaka Tatsushige and Udaka Norishige, sons of my teacher Udaka Michishige, along with four hayashi musicians from Kyoto and Osaka will perform the ibayashi (solo music and choir) of Shakkyō (The Stone Bridge), and the maibayashi (dance and music excerpts) of Hagoromo (The Celestial Robe) and Funa-Benkei (Benkei and the Boat). I will sing in the ji-utai chorus.

The repertoire we are going to perform is classic, and will be put on stage according to the Noh conventions. It is rather unusual for Noh to be performed along with other acts, all the more so in the context of a contemporary music festival, and we are very excited and honoured to participate to the LCMF this year. If you are in/around London don’t miss the chance to attend this unique event!

Visit the LCMF website for the full programme and ticket reservation.