Reiko Obata

Reiko Obata A Japanese American "koto" performer based in Southern California.

Background

Reiko Obata began studying koto in 1980 under masters in the United States and Japan including Mde. Masazumi Mizuno in San Diego, Mde. Kayoko Wakita in Los Angeles, and composer virtuoso Shinichi Yuize in Tokyo. Reiko has a master's degree in music performance from San Diego State University and a Japanese koto master's degree from the Seiha Conservatory of Japanese Music.

Career

Obata has performed with legendary jazz saxophonist Hollis Gentry III, classical symphony musicians, and traditional Japanese artists. She has performed koto at the Temecula and Idyllwild Jazz Festivals. Her music can be heard in Byron Barth's 2007 "The Art of Zen Shiatsu" DVD as well as Vivian Price's 2006 film "Transnational Tradeswomen." Obata performed koto, shamisen, and percussion in Dr. Marianne McDonald's award-winning play "...and then he met a woodcutter." Obata has recorded several CDs of her own compositions and arrangements as well as a jazz koto CD with her band East West Jazz. She produced the first-ever English language koto instructional DVD "You Can Play Koto."

External links

* [http://www.reikoobata.com/ Reiko Obata's official site]
* [http://www.eastwestjazz.com/ East West Jazz official site]