Join us for an unforgettable evening of music, culture, and community at the Kakehashi Project, a vibrant festival celebrating connection through sound.
đź“Ť Kensington Community Center (Berkeley Hills)
đź—“ Sunday, May 17
⏰ Doors open 3:30, Activities from 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM
At the heart of the program is the world premiere of a newly commissioned work, Heartbeats, for taiko and string ensemble by composer Erika Oba, featuring taiko artist Koh Yamakawa and the musicians of Collective Counterpoint. The new commission will explore various time periods crucial to the Japanese American experience such as Executive Order 9066, Civil Rights movement, and the Redress & Reparations movement.
The program also features special guest appearances by renowned koto artist Shirley Muramoto Kazuyo , Brian Mitsuhiro Wong (koto), Cole Sass (shakuhashi), and Kirin Canteloup. The main musical performance will feature the string orchestra, performing works by Lisa Yoshida, Koharu Sakiyama, and the world premiere of Erika Oba's newest work featuring solo taiko and string orchestra.
Guests are invited to enjoy a festival atmosphere with food offerings featuring Okkon, Nekosama, and Ichigo-Ichie, creating a space to gather, reflect, and celebrate together.
There will also be an origami station organized by local artist, Rumi Nguyen, to create a 1000 crane sculpture that will be then donated to local organizations post-event. There will also be a small art gallery featuring works by local artists that will be available for purchase at the event.