Piano and Shamisen Performance and Cultural Exchange Workshops
2026/8/28
From 22 to 24 August, the Embassy of Japan in Brunei Darussalam welcomed pianist and composer Mr ENDO Seiji and Tsugaru shamisen (three-stringed instrument) player Mr ASANO Sho from Japan to Brunei for a series of music and cultural exchange events.
On 22 August, the Piano & Shamisen Performance－Echoes Across Borders: Japan's Classic & Contemporary Music was held at the JIS Arts Centre, co-organised by the Brunei Music Society, the Brunei Japanese Alumni Association and Kanadebito. The event welcomed Yang Mulia Hajah Noridah binti Abdul Hamid, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sports (MCYS), as the Guest of Honour. Following the opening speech by H.E. Ambassador KIKUTA, Mr Asano played Japanese soulful folk songs such as Tsugaru Jongara Bushi with talented techniques of shamisen while Mr Endo performed deeply lyrical piano pieces of his own composition inspired by the Tale of Genji, one of the first novels in world history written by a Japanese court lady, Murasaki Shikibu, in the early 11th century. Approximately 740 guests were invited free of charge, including many local youths, making it a valuable opportunity to showcase Japanese music and culture to a wide Bruneian audience.
On 23 August, a music workshop for youth was held at the Embassy of Japan in Brunei Darussalam, co-hosted with the Brunei Music Society, for students studying music in Brunei. Led by both Mr Endo and Mr Asano, the workshop incorporated traditional Japanese musical expressions such as "Aino-te”, a traditional Japanese improvisational musical interlude, providing participants with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of Japanese music culture while experiencing the joy of musical creation.
On 24 August, a workshop and concert were held in collaboration with MCYS featuring Senandung Budaya, a Bruneian traditional music ensemble at MCYS and the two Japanese musicians. H.E. Ambassador KIKUTA and Pengiran Hajah Juni Hana binti Pengiran Haji Chuchu, Acting Assistant Director of Culture and the Arts at MCYS attended the concert. The event provided an opportunity to introduce the shamisen, while also deepening the participants' understanding of Brunei's traditional instruments. Through the joint performance of folk music from both countries, the event contributed to the further promotion of cultural exchange between Japan and Brunei through the universal language of music.
On 22 August, the Piano & Shamisen Performance－Echoes Across Borders: Japan's Classic & Contemporary Music was held at the JIS Arts Centre, co-organised by the Brunei Music Society, the Brunei Japanese Alumni Association and Kanadebito. The event welcomed Yang Mulia Hajah Noridah binti Abdul Hamid, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sports (MCYS), as the Guest of Honour. Following the opening speech by H.E. Ambassador KIKUTA, Mr Asano played Japanese soulful folk songs such as Tsugaru Jongara Bushi with talented techniques of shamisen while Mr Endo performed deeply lyrical piano pieces of his own composition inspired by the Tale of Genji, one of the first novels in world history written by a Japanese court lady, Murasaki Shikibu, in the early 11th century. Approximately 740 guests were invited free of charge, including many local youths, making it a valuable opportunity to showcase Japanese music and culture to a wide Bruneian audience.
On 23 August, a music workshop for youth was held at the Embassy of Japan in Brunei Darussalam, co-hosted with the Brunei Music Society, for students studying music in Brunei. Led by both Mr Endo and Mr Asano, the workshop incorporated traditional Japanese musical expressions such as "Aino-te”, a traditional Japanese improvisational musical interlude, providing participants with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of Japanese music culture while experiencing the joy of musical creation.
On 24 August, a workshop and concert were held in collaboration with MCYS featuring Senandung Budaya, a Bruneian traditional music ensemble at MCYS and the two Japanese musicians. H.E. Ambassador KIKUTA and Pengiran Hajah Juni Hana binti Pengiran Haji Chuchu, Acting Assistant Director of Culture and the Arts at MCYS attended the concert. The event provided an opportunity to introduce the shamisen, while also deepening the participants' understanding of Brunei's traditional instruments. Through the joint performance of folk music from both countries, the event contributed to the further promotion of cultural exchange between Japan and Brunei through the universal language of music.