Shunsuke Kimura

Shunsuke Kimura is one of the most acclaimed performers of traditional Japanese instruments today. He is also in high demand as a composer and music director Kimura has travelled to every corner of Japan assimilating the various melodies, rhythms and styles of folk and traditional festival music. He has worked these into his own compositions for music theatre, dance, and image productions. Kimura has performed in over 15 countries, and collaborates frequently with artists of different nationalities across various music genres.

His most recent commissioned work as music director include:
• 12th Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2010
• Official opening event for Japanese Year in Turkey 2010
• Kageki - Another Silk Road a Korean-Japanese co- produced theatre project performed in Tokyo to high acclaim.
• Kagura Bolero for the World Environmental Film Festival at the Aichi Expo in 2005.

In 2006, Kimura was commissioned to write music and lyrics for Amaterasu, a theatre project directed by the star Kabuki actor Bando Tamasaburo for the 25th anniversary of Kodo, the world famous taiko group. In 2006, he also composed music for a contemporary kabuki dance show, Ouna, featuring Hanayagi Tsurusuga, a noted kabuki dancer.

Kimura lectures at University of Tokyo and Kyoto University. He also teaches tradition and creative future of Japanese folk music at Ikenobo College in Kyoto.