Recently, the CalArts Herb Alpert Music School announced a change to its budget, cutting parts of the World Music department to make way for new offerings in the program. One of the affected programs was the Japanese ensemble, which came to us to see if we couldn’t find a way to fund the group for another year of performances, recordings, and Japanese-American Culture.

What is it?

The CalArts Japanese Ensemble, headed by Kozue Matsumoto (Shōgun, 2024, FX/Hulu; Ghost of Tsushima, 2020, Sucker Punch Studios/Sony), is a consort made up of koto, shamisen, shakuhachi, and taiko players; students learn techniques, rehearse traditional and contemporary compositions, and obtain knowledge of cultural ethnology by partaking in this ensemble. Throughout the school year, they practice and perform throughout the city, sharing Japanese musical culture with the greater Los Angeles area.

Without funding, students now have to cover expenses like concert catering, instruments and instrument repairs, and travel costs.

What students say about Japanese Ensemble

“…I caught [my friends] practicing on the first floor and they allowed me to join them. That day we made a small trio of two shamisen and a single koto but I felt the connection my teacher was talking about and from then on I was fully invested in supporting the group any way I could.

“As classes started up I remember helping out the other shamisen students learn the instrument, teaching them in a similar way that my past teacher did and really establishing myself as a member of the group… This bond became so strong that I would later call the Japanese ensemble my family , having friends who supported me and cared about my wellbeing and vice-versa.”

– Sebastian Melendez, BFA student

What are we doing about it?

as part of our efforts to provide some emergency operational funding for the ensemble, we are organizing two events:

• Matsuri, a festival of Japanese music and culture. April 24, 2024, 5PM-10PM PST, Mark Taper Courtyard, CalArts, 24700 McBean Pkwy, Santa Clarita, CA, 91355

  • Food, fortunes, and musical performances from the ensemble in a picnic setting. Takoyaki, yakisoba, and maid café offered; omikuji fortunes presented as well.

• Japanese Ensemble x Dex Gala, (more info soon) a fundraising gala event, with dinner and performances by the ensemble. July 15, 2024 5PM-7:30PM PST.

over the next three months, we plan to raise at least $10,000 for the ensemble, which will provide funding for instruments and repairs, event expenses, and special projects like recordings and commissions.

a portion of that funding will come from a one-time matching fund that we will pool to donate to the ensemble at the fundraising gala, matching audience contributions.

What can I do to help?

1. Attend our events. The easiest way to see what the Japanese ensemble has to offer is by seeing them play for you in person.

Come to the Japanese Matsuri festival on April 24, free to attend (see left)

Come to our fundraising gala at LA Artcore on July 17, 2024 from 7PM-9PM. More info available here.

2. Donate to the program to our matching fund that we will present to the ensemble at our fundraising gala.

Both can be done by clicking the button below:

We’re hoping to raise at least $10,000 for Kozue and the Japanese Ensemble so that they may keep performing around the greater LA area, recording works, and learning about and sharing Japanese culture with the greater public; that way, students can continue learning traditional, contemporary, and experimental music on koto, shamisen, shakuhachi, and taiko.

What do they sound like?

We can’t help them without you! Consider donating today to help provide money for concert expenses, performances, instruments and repairs, and general operational costs.