Weaving harmony with koto strings
GEORGE TOWN: Music transcends boundaries and brings people of different backgrounds together.

The Plumeria Koto Ensemble, composed of Malaysian and Japanese musicians, is a testament to this.

The eight-member group, formed in 2020, often performs at governmental, cultural, corporate and social events.

The most recent one took place at the private residence of the Consul-General of Japan in Penang, Yoshiyasu Kawaguchi.

“I wanted to share the beauty of koto music with my guests and colleagues,” the diplomat said of the small reception, which was held to promote friendship and goodwill between the two nations.

Four of the ensemble’s members – Malaysians Hafiz Othman, 48, and Jasmine Faiz, 17, as well as Japanese expatriates Yukako Narita, 59, and Akiko Yamada, 47 – delivered a string of delightful melodies.This included a compilation of folk songs and another that celebrated the season of the sakura or cherry blossom, which had just begun in Japan.

Hafiz said he first picked up the koto while studying at the University of Tsukuba in Japan in the 1990s.

He continued playing it when working in Tokyo for some years after graduating.

“I simply fell in love with the sound,” shared Hafiz, who is now with the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s Malaysian office in Kuala Lumpur as a senior programme manager in charge of the education and railway sectors.

“It was a privilege to play for the guests here today, as the audience is what gives energy to our performances,” he said.

In between numbers, Hafiz shared with guests some of the technicalities of the traditional stringed instrument, which measures about 2m long and is the longest of the zither family.

Typically made of paulownia wood, the koto is related to the Chinese guzheng and can have 13, 17, 21 or 25 strings.

“It is a very versatile instrument, as each string can produce three or four different notes, depending on how you tune, push or pull the strings, as well as where you place the bridges.

“The koto has often been likened to a dragon. The sound emanates from a hole at the bottom side of one end, which is like the dragon’s mouth,” he said.

“It’s an instrument we treasure and care for very much. It can be costly to maintain, as you need to periodically change the strings, retune them, or even retouch the wood.

“You either have to take it to Japan to be serviced by an expert there or have the expert flown into the country to do it,” he added.

Jasmine, who was born in Machida, Tokyo, took up the instrument at a young age after similarly falling in love with its delicate sound.

“When my parents moved back to Malaysia, I just continued playing it,” said the secondary school student.

Plumeria’s leader, Narita, said both her mother and grandmother were also koto players.

She said it is very common in Japan for successive generations to continue the family legacy.

“Our group shows that there are no restrictions or borders in the world of music. It’s a tool that brings people together, regardless of race or religion,” she said.

A day earlier, the group also performed at a kimono fashion show in town, held as part of a charity fundraiser organised by Artisans International Penang.
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GEORGE TOWN: Music transcends boundaries and brings people of different backgrounds together.