Passionate musicians': Musica Viva brings cross-cultural string trio Silk, Metal, Wood to Newcastle City Hall on Thursday

French cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras, koto grand master Satsuki Odamura and Australian cellist James Morley will be performing traditional and modern works by Bach, Britten and Offenbach at Newcastle City Hall on Thursday night, as well as the world premiere of a new Australian work by composer Jakub Jankowski.

Queyras has performed with orchestras such as the London Symphony and the Munich Philharmonic. On this, his first visit to Australia, he will open the concert with Bach's Solo Suite for Cello in G.

Morley is a graduate of the Australian National Academy of Music now living, working and studying in Basel, Switzerland. He specialises in contemporary and chamber music and gave his debut solo recital at Adelaide Festival in 2022.

Odamura has pioneered the teaching and performing of ancient Japanese instrument the koto in Australia. She is director of the Koto Music Institute of Australia and will perform two solo works: Yatsuhashi Kengyo's Midare and Robin Williamson's Letter from a Stranger's Childhood.

Odamura became curious about the koto at the age of five after watching her aunt play the instrument.

"I thought she made sounds that were very bright and there was such a variety of tones," she said.

She told the Newcastle Herald she grew up in "a very traditional Japanese household" and, apart from her aunt, was "the only musician in my family".

"My parents were not really interested in music or many cultural activities. My father worked for the local government council and my mother was a housewife."

Odamura relocated from Japan to Australia 30 years ago.

"I was sent by my koto school in Tokyo to promote koto music in Australia through teaching and performing," she said.

"My teachers Tadao and Kazue Sawai were pioneers in spreading koto throughout the world. They sent other students overseas too, to places like Honolulu, New York and San Diego."

Odamura is referred to as a "grand master" of the koto but it is a label that doesn't sit well with her.

"I don't really like calling myself a grand master koto player. It is a musical qualification that I achieved through examinations."

Teaching others how to play the koto, though, does bring her joy.

"I've got a variety of students from six years to 70 years, all different nationalities," she said.

"After 20 years of teaching I have found some very good students.

"I started performing koto ensemble pieces with them and ended up forming my koto ensemble. We've started commissioning Australian composers to write for our ensemble. We have recorded these pieces and our CD will be released very soon."

She is looking forward to touring with Queyras and Morley, describing the combination of two cellos, koto and bass koto as "unusual" and something she has "never experienced before".

"I had four sessions with the composer, Jakub [Jankowski], including on-line and face-to-face sessions, while he created his composition," Odamura explained.

"He was very keen to understand the unique features of the koto and how it's played. I was happy to work with such talented and enthusiastic young composer in a two-way process of musical communication."

Artistic director Paul Kildea described the trio as "passionate musicians inspired by the love of their instruments and an endless delighted curiosity for finding new sounds to play".

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