FUJIKAWA Izumi - Performer Profile
Izumi lives and performs in the city of Kumamoto, Kyushu. She began learning koto in 1977 and in 1986 became a licensed koto master in the Ikuta Guild Miyagi stream. Izumi has also studied with Japan's leading teachers: Sawai Tadao, Yoshioka Hiroko, Nakamura Akikazu, Fukuda Takashi, and Yoshizaki Katsuhiko. Izumi has won many music awards including 2nd Prize in The National Japan Koto Competition and 1st Prize in The Great Wall of China International Music Competition. She is a founding member of Orchestra Asia Japan (ORA-J) hailed by composers, musicians, performers and Arts critics alike as "A Creative Group of a high artistic level producing works of New Music". ORA-J, under their Artistic Director MIKI Minoru, regularly perform in Tokyo and throughout Asia and Europe.

Toshinori SAKAMOTO - Performer Profile
Toshinori Sakamoto is an accomplished player and teacher of Wadaiko (Japanese traditional drums). He has studied under renowned conductor and lead percussionist of the Kumamoto Philharmonic Orchestra,Takashi Fukuda. Toshi was a founding member of the Kumamoto based Wadaiko group, Rindo Daiko and played with them from 1987 until he moved to Australia in 1995. Since coming to Australia Toshi has performed at Japan Festivals in Melbourne, Sydney, Fiji, the Melbourne International Festival and many group recitals. He has visited numerous schools throughout Australia to introduce this highly accessible art form to both primary and secondary students.

Wadaiko RINDO - Group Profile
Melbourne based Japanese drum ensemble Wadaiko Rindo is renowned for energetic and dynamic drumming performances. In 1996 Toshi Sakamoto began teaching Taiko (Japanese drum) in Melbourne and currently teaches ten Taiko classes with a total of 90 students. In 1998 Toshi and his wife, Junko, formed Wadaiko Rindo which is comprised of students from his advanced class. The title Wadaiko Rindo pays homage to the name of Toshi's former drumming team (Rindo Daiko) in his hometown in Kumamoto in Kyushu. Wadaiko Rindo has performed in many places around Victoria as well as in Tasmania, ACT, New Caledonia and Fiji. They are often joined in performance by the talented Shakuhachi player Anne Norman and Tsugaru- Shamisen player Noriko Tadano. The performances of Wadaiko Rindo are spectacular visual displays of stamina, strength and humour, with the vibrations produced on stage energising the whole audience.

Anne NORMAN - Performer Profile
Anne took up the shakuhachi in 1986 in Japan studying with Nakamura Shindo and later, Tajima Tadashi. In 1990 she received a Japanese Government scholarship to study with Yamaguchi Goro at Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music.  Since then, Anne has had training under a number of Japan's top shakuhachi masters including Yokoyama Katsuya. Anne has performed in major arts festivals in Australia and Europe, as well as concerts in America and Japan. She has been commissioned by professional and amateur shakuhachi players in Japan to compose new works for the instrument, expanding the repertoire of this ancient instrument. Anne has an MA in Ethnomusicology from Monash, and a B Mus from Melbourne Uni., and has recorded several CDs.