On November 2 and 3, 2022, the workshop “Language & Music Vol. 13” featuring Yoko Tawada and Aki Takase” was held at Ono Memorial Hall, Waseda University. This event, held every November, was the 13th of its kind.
First Live Performance in Three Years
Affected by Covid-19, the event was held online in 2020 and 2021. Under the theme of “the surreal and the real,” the event delivered a video work recorded in Berlin. The video was inspired by the life and works of the famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907–1954), offering a rare opportunity to glimpse the process of the duo—one a writer and the other a pianist—creating a work. The workshop utilized Zoom to study the expression of language and music based on the students’ presentations.
Performance “Mexico Is a Hotter Country than Edo”
In 2022, the two artists were long-awaitedly able to come to Japan for the first time in three years and performed at Waseda University. This time, the performance was based on the motif of “Frida Kahlo’s paintings” projected on a monitor at the venue, and featured a unique performance with a poetry reading by Yoko Tawada and an improvised piano performance by Aki Takase. During the performance, a special guest, vocalist Mayumi Nakamura, made a surprise appearance, drawing the audience into a multilayered world of expression with an opera element added. The three artists’ thoughts transcended time and space, and were in perfect harmony with the world of Frida Kahlo.
After the performance, coordinators Professor Miho Matsunaga (Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences), Yoko Tawada, and Aki Takase held a talk, touching on the previous performance. The audience participated in a question and answer session, deepening the discussion on the expression of language and music, as well as the state of Covid-19 in Berlin and recent trends, among other topics, and engaging in lively exchange. It was a fulfilling two-hour event.
Workshop “Language & Music vol. 13: Beauty in Disarray”
This workshop was held on Culture Day (November 3). Presenters included eight undergraduate and graduate students from Waseda University. The theme was to choose one of their favorite paintings, project it on a large screen monitor, and recite a poem of their own creation. In addition, two musicians participated in the improvised performance, combining language and music. Horns, Tsugaru shamisen, and piano colored the words. Improvisation. Intensity of sound. Pause. Rhythm. Tempo. Words and sounds overlap, and we were able to feel the limitless expansion of expression. Yoko Tawada and Aki Takase gave advice and comments on each of the presentations, and we were able to think together about expression through language and music, and to experience the possibilities and joys of such expression. All the presentations were well thought out and profound in content and expression.
In the discussion afterward, the presenters reflected on the aims and expressions of their own performances and shared their feelings and new discoveries. It was a very meaningful time to explore the possibilities of language and music and a valuable experience for creators and presenters.
In addition, Yoko Tawada, Aki Takase, and Mayumi Nakamura gave a special performance of a memorable scene from their performance the day before. Finally, we would like to thank Yoko Tawada, Aki Takase, and Mayumi Nakamura for their performance and everyone who attended the event.
Sponsored by
Waseda University Cultural Affairs Division
Global Japanese Studies Model Unit, Top Global University Project
The Office of Professor Miho Matsunaga, Creative Writing and Criticism Theoretical Configuration, School of Culture, Media and Society, Waseda University
