Keynote Speech:

Learning from Asia, Once Again

September 9th, 2023

Emeritus Professor, Kyoto City University of Arts

Toshie Kakinuma

柿沼敏江

I am Toshie Kakinuma from Japan. Today, I am truly honored to have been invited to give a talk at the Taiwan Chapter of the Asian Composers League (ACL). The ACL was established in 1973, and this year marks its 50th anniversary. First and foremost, I would like to extend my congratulations on reaching this wonderful milestone of half a century since its inception as well as my gratitude to chairman Lien Hsien-sheng (連憲升) and music scholar Shen Diau-long (沈雕龍) who have invited me to speak. 

I am a Japanese music scholar, specializing in American experimental music. Some may wonder why someone with such a focus would discuss Asian music and Asian composers in this context. To address this curiosity and as part of my introduction, I would like to begin by talking about myself, including my personal experiences. Additionally, I seek your understanding that I will be using Japanese-style pronunciation for the names of individuals from China and Taiwan

In 1983, I enrolled in the doctoral program at the University of California, San Diego. During my study there in 1984, my partner, composer Mamoru Fujieda (藤枝守), received the 5th Irino Prize. This led us to connect with Reiko Irino (入野禮子), formerly known as Reiko Takahashi (高橋冽子), the wife of Yoshiro Irino (入野義朗), one of the founders of the Asian Composers League. Even after Yoshiro Irino’s passing, Mrs. Irino continued to attend the league’s conferences regularly, playing significant roles in the ACL’s affairs. Last year, Mrs. Irino, while preparing for an interview with Shen, suffered a sudden injury, and amidst prolonged treatment, she passed away. This happened just before the revival of Yoshiro Irino’s 1979 opera Sonezaki Shinju. Her unexpected and untimely demise shocked and saddened us all. It is truly regrettable. I would like to take this moment to sincerely offer my prayers for her eternal peace.

While studying in the United States, I decided to focus on American experimental music, particularly the works of Harry Partch. In this connection, I had the opportunity to interview the composer Lou Harrison, who was well-acquainted with Partch. This turned out to be a significant turning point for me. Lou Harrison's profound presence and expansive perspective were impressive, and under his influence, my approach to listening to music underwent a transformative shift.

People who have listened to Harrison's music often tend to generalize it with the term “Oriental Exoticism,” but I believe that is a significant misconception. Such an interpretation arises from only superficially listening to his music. It is evident from my interview with Harrison that he is fundamentally different from composers who merely incorporate elements of Asian music only on the surface.

During the interview, what particularly astonished me was the depth of Lou Harrison’s knowledge of Asian music. Even at the age of 70 at that time, he was actively studying gamelan, seeking tutelage from an Indonesian expert named Pak Djoko who was residing in California. Furthermore, he expressed to me that due to his deep appreciation for Korean music, he not only personally studied Korean music but also co-authored a book on the history of Korean music in English with the renowned Korean music scholar Lee Hye-gu (李惠求). Unfortunately, this book has yet to be published. Harrison excelled in playing the Korean instrument piri, his proficiency in playing it even earned him formal recognition to teach piri performance. It was later revealed to me that in 1961, Harrison met the renowned players of guqin and guzheng, Liang Tsai-ping (梁在平), in Tokyo. They immediately hit it off, and subsequently, Liang invited Harrison to Taiwan for cultural exchange, while Harrison invited Liang to San Jose State University in the United States. The two maintained a strong friendship over the years.

During my interview with Harrison, he mentioned that the world's three major religions (Buddhism, Christianity, Islam) all originated from Asia, hence he expressed his respect towards Asia. He also referred to Europe as “Northwest Asia.” For Harrison, the musical culture of this “Northwest Asia” had been exhausted. In 2007, the book Provincializing Europe: Postcoloniality and the Critique of History by Indian historian Dipesh Chakrabarty garnered significant attention upon its publication. However, I must say that Harrison's discussions of similar concepts preceded Chakrabarty by many years. For instance: (1) during the Middle Ages, Europe and Asia were closely interconnected; (2) instead of considering modern Europe as a universal benchmark, it was seen as a region encompassed within the vast horizon named “Asia”; (3) if Indonesia could be termed “Southeast Asia,” then Europe would be a region called “Northwest Asia.” His viewpoints were highly stimulating to me, especially considering the fact that Harrison was actually an American composer rather than an Asian one.

Through the opportunity to interview Harrison, I came to a profound realization that despite being Japanese, I had little knowledge about Asia, including Japan itself. However, the opportunity to study American experimental music further ignited my interest in ethnic music from Asia and around the world, prompting me to begin learning these genres of music. The reason being that composers are influenced by a variety of ethnic music, and to study these American composers, it was essential to diligently learn about these ethnic music traditions.

While conducting research on Harry Partch’s homemade instruments at the University of California, San Diego, for my doctoral dissertation, I found that over half of my reference materials were related to ethnic music. I vividly remember feeling as though I was mistakenly studying ethnic music instead. After completing my dissertation in 1989 and returning to Japan, I had the privilege of translating Harrison's work Music Primer, which provided me with the experience of translating and publishing books.

The original title of the book, Music Primer, would literally translate to “音楽入門” in Japanese. However, its content extended beyond typical Western music, encompassing music from Korea, China, India, Indonesia, as well as composers like Arnold Schönberg and John Cage, representing various musical traditions from around the world. Consequently, I translated the title of the book into Japanese as “ルー・ハリソンのワールド・ミュージック入門” (World Music Primer by Lou Harrison), which was published by Japan Music Foundation JESC in 1993.

Just as the book was being published, Mrs. Irino approached me about the possibility of holding a lecture series at the Irino Institute for Music Research (JML=Japan Music Life). I used Harrison’s book as the foundational text and, together with Mamoru Fujieda, conducted a World Music Lecture Series at the institute. At that time, I had just returned to Japan and was essentially unemployed, so I was extremely grateful to Mrs. Irino for giving me this valuable opportunity.

The year following my return to Japan (1990), the Asian Music Festival was held in Tokyo and Sendai. This festival featured many composers from China, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other regions, providing me with numerous opportunities to listen to various compositions and performances. One particularly memorable experience was witnessing a performance led by Cambodian composer Chinary Ung (洪靖年), who collaborated with local musicians from Cambodia. What struck me was that none of Japan’s contemporary musicians could lead a traditional instrument-focused ensemble abroad in the same way Ung did. During the vibrant atmosphere of the Asian Music Festival, Mrs. Irino introduced me to many composers from different Asian countries. Additionally, through a commission from a certain magazine publisher, I had the opportunity to interview the Chinese composer Tan Dun (譚盾), who was studying in the United States at the time.

Mrs. Irino took great care of me, providing me with numerous invaluable opportunities even after the Asian Music Festival. In 1994, JML Institute invited Hsu Tsang-houei (許常惠), one of the founders of the ACL, to give a lecture. On the topic “Music of 'Taiwan’ in Asia,” Hsu delivered a remarkably clear presentation, introducing us to his extensive research on indigenous music, Han Chinese music, and the contemporary music scene in Taiwan following the introduction of Western music. I carefully preserved the notes I took during this fascinating lecture.

Beyond the rich and interesting content of the lecture, what left a lasting impression on me was Hsu's remarkable proficiency in Japanese. After the lecture, we held a welcoming reception at Mrs. Irino’s home, where Hsu was warmly received. I expressed to him, “Your Japanese is amazing! Even more fluent than mine!” Hsu looked at me in astonishment. In fact, Hsu’s Japanese was of a generation older than mine and carried a certain elegance that sounded impressive to my ears. However, when I considered that Hsu’s fluent Japanese was the result of being born in a Japanese colonial territory and having studied music in Japan during his youth, as a Japanese person, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of shame alongside admiration.

Besides Hsu, Lin Daw-shen (林道生) from Taiwan also visited Japan twice, in 1994 and 1997, to conduct lectures on Taiwanese indigenous music, particularly on the indigenous music of the Amis tribe, at JML. Through attending these two lectures, I became more acquainted with the music of Taiwan.

JML remained active even after the passing of Yoshiro Irino, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Mrs Irino. Apart from its collaboration in the ACL activities, continuous exchanges with other Asian composers have been tirelessly pursued. Later, when I began teaching at Kyoto City University of Arts, my colleague in the composition department, Noriko Nakamura (中村典子), consistently focused on student-oriented initiatives aimed at fostering exchanges with Taiwan and Korea. From my perspective, musical exchanges between various parts of Asia seem to persist in various forms.

In 2003, the “Asian Music Festival 2003 in Tokyo” was held to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the ACL.  At this event, Chou Wen-chung (周文中) delivered a keynote speech titled “Beyond Identity.” Simultaneously, a roundtable discussion titled “Musical Identity,” led by Filipino composer Ramón Santos, Israeli composer Dan Yuhas, and Japanese composer Teruyuki Noda (野田暉行), was held, sparking lively discussions on the theme of identity.

Chou Wen-chung’s keynote speech provided intriguing insights into the background of ACL’s establishment. In 1966, the first-ever international music conference and festival focused on Asian music, “Musics of Asia,” was held in Manila, organized by Asian musicians. At that time, Filipino composers José Maceda and Lucrecia Kasilag, along with Hsu Tsang-houei and Chou Wen-chung, engaged in discussions. Maceda expressed his frustration that the concerns and goals of Asians were not taken seriously in the West, which deeply dissatisfied him. Upon hearing this, Chou proposed the idea of forming an international music organization with a focus on Asians. This suggestion resonated with Hsu, who, a few years later, founded the ACL together with these colleagues. In other words, the initial discussions during the international conference in Manila served as one of the catalysts for the creation of the ACL. Behind the establishment of ACL lay the hidden passions, talents, and efforts of many individuals.

In this 2003 conference, Ramón Santos presented a highly significant viewpoint. He argued that when considering how to preserve Asia's heritage, our focus shouldn't solely be on music or performing arts but must also encompass the underlying social and cultural mechanisms. Performances that were once held in palaces or temples are now showcased in modern auditoriums equipped with massive pipe organs. Furthermore, the influence of Western equal temperament has gradually diminished the physical and spiritual expression of Asians. In other words, if traditional music is performed in such artificial and heterogeneous environments, we risk losing the delicate and valuable relationship between artistic expression and the natural environment. Santos’s perspective is crucial. It's not just about inheriting the traditions of music or performing arts; we must also consider the environment in which art is presented. Santos emphasized that we must reinvigorate the ‘infrastructure’ inherent in Asian societal traditions and maintain the essential mechanisms for artistic expression and performance operations.

To further contemplate this issue, I would like to share with you an event I recently attended. Situated in the prestigious Akasaka district of Tokyo, Suntory Hall is a renowned concert hall in the classical music world, where globally acclaimed musicians gather to showcase their talents, making it one of the top-tier concert halls worldwide. Recently, the annual Suntory Summer Festival concluded at this music hall. While typically showcasing cutting-edge contemporary music, this year's festival saw a brief occupation of the hall by a village from Indonesia.

Of particular interest was the En-gawa project, a project-based concert held in a smaller hall. The direction of this project was undertaken by the art collective KITA, based in Indonesia. KITA was formed in 2022, bringing together members from various fields and nationalities. In Indonesian, KITA means “we” or “us.”

They created a replica of an Indonesian village in the Suntory Small Hall. The stage of the hall was removed, and they constructed a small hut in the center with four pillars and a roof. This hut had no walls, creating an open space accessible to anyone. They recreated a building that serves as their base in Yogyakarta within the concert hall. In Indonesia, traditional houses like these are used for events such as weddings, celebrations, and shadow puppetry. However, they also become play areas for children and places for napping, resembling a free-spirited park where even chickens may wander. Surrounding the hut built in the hall were several platforms resembling the engawa (縁側), the wooden-floored space between a house's reception room and the garden in Japanese architecture. The engawa serves as a boundary between inside and outside, an intermediate zone that is neither fully inside nor outside. Visitors were free to sit on these platforms. Along the walls of the hall, shops were set up for selling food and goods. It truly was as if an Indonesian village had appeared. Over three days from August 25th to 27th, traditional gamelan performances, contemporary compositions for gamelan (including pieces by Lou Harrison and Cage), talks, and performances unfolded in this unique setting.

According to the musicians who actually performed gamelan music at the concert, sitting inside the small house was quite comfortable, which heightened the emotional intensity during the performance. In other words, unlike typical concert halls where Western music is usually played, this space had become conducive to performing gamelan music. Just as Santos mentioned in 2003, the importance of place and environment for music and performing arts was evidenced in this concert.

I learned some valuable insights from KITA’s leader Mr. Kitazawa. According to him, they do not charge admission fees for their events in Indonesia. Once admission fees are collected, it inevitably creates a distinction between payers and receivers, which goes against the spirit of KITA (we/us). They do not want this distinction between “you” and “me”; rather, they always strive to exist in the form of “us.” They hope people will come together with what they need and hold events, while also working hard to secure grants through various channels to sustain the group’s operations. This approach is truly reminiscent of a bygone era, completely overturning the modern arts management mechanism. It even evokes the operational strategies of past village communities. Only the part about securing grants may retain some modern color. However, I was surprised when Mr. Kitazawa told me that their operating principles have gradually gained attention in recent years, with even artists from Europe expressing interest multiple times.

Furthermore, their fresh perspective on art is also noteworthy. Typically, we tend to think that artworks are created by individuals, but they seem to think differently. They advocate that art exists within the environment, and we are created by art. In other words, what matters is the environment and the place. As art is alive in our daily lives, shaping a fresh and vibrant environment will enrich us. This is truly a reversal of the common idea. The small house that appeared at the Suntory Hall is a space without walls, where the sound of gamelan music floats, and one can hear voices and even children’s laughter. Perhaps this symbolizes the genuine need for a natural, comfortable, and abundant environment.

While the concepts exhibited by KITA may appear to be unique to Indonesia, I believe they should not be labeled as outdated or out of touch with modernity. Their approach, although perhaps modest, can also be seen as quite stimulating. While we may simply view the “village” that briefly appeared at the Suntory Hall as a temporary experiment, I believe we need to leverage this experience and further expand upon it. The concept rooted in the experiences of Asian villages can also be considered cutting-edge. Doesn’t it contain hints about the future of artistic systems and musical landscapes? These hints may even lead to further changes in social structures.

KITA’s activities have provided significant insights, offering a valuable harvest. The idea originating from “Southeast Asia” capturing the interest of people from “Northwest Asia” might be a reflection of the current zeitgeist. This doesn’t imply there’s nothing to learn from Europe, but it underscores the renewed importance of “learning from Asia.” The summer music festival has served as a reminder of this significance.

The subtitle “Asia as Method” in the book Toward Deimperialization by Chen Kuan-hsing (陳光興), a prominent Taiwanese scholar in Asian Cultural Studies, was inspired by a lecture titled “Asia as Method” given by Takeuchi Yoshimi(竹內好), a Japanese scholar of Chinese literature and a researcher of Lu Xun (魯迅). Additionally, the influence extends to the work of Japanese scholar and China expert Yuzo Mizoguchi's (溝口雄三) book China as Method. In essence, this book is a result of the mutual influence among scholars from East Asian regions, namely China, Japan, and Taiwan. In Toward Deimperialization, Chen advocates distancing oneself from Western-centric thinking, such as the dichotomy of progress and backwardness, and emphasizes the need to reevaluate the world with Asia as the reference point. He highlights the increasing necessity for collaboration among Asian countries, forming an “Inter-Asia” network. While the idea of learning from Asia has been discussed and practiced, it might not have been sufficient until now.

The ACL, established by individuals sharing the same ideals and enthusiasm, embodies this belief. To have conceived and implemented such an inter-Asian vision and practice half a century ago is truly admirable, showcasing the broad vision of our predecessors. In Japan’s domestic music scene, where the influence of “Northwest Asia” still looms large, it may be the case that attention has yet to turn towards an Asian perspective. As such, the recent emergence of an Indonesian village at Suntory Hall – a venue symbolic of contemporary Western art music –, the performance of works like José Maceda’s Music for Gong and Bamboo (1997) and contemporary compositions for Gamelan played by Japanese musicians in the main hall, created a groundbreaking scene. In those moments, the entire Suntory Hall seemed to be occupied by the music and culture of Southeast Asia.

The Japanese composer Yoshiro Irino not only played a crucial role in the establishment of the ACL but also devoted himself to the study of Indonesian music in his later years. It is said that related books were found by his bedside when he passed away. As the composer who wrote the first piece in Japan using the twelve-tone technique and promoted this method, he went on to create numerous works for traditional Japanese instruments. However, in his final years, he shifted his focus towards Asia. If Yoshiro Irino were alive today, he might have expressed his thoughts on the current situation at Suntory Hall with great interest and appreciation.

In the 1961 publication Methods as Asia, Takeuchi Yoshimi stated, “To envelop the West once again through the East, to transform the West itself from here, to create universality through this cultural turnaround or a reversal in values.” He called for an envisioning where Asia, from its side, changes “Northwest Asia” (typically referring to Europe/West). To achieve this, it seems increasingly necessary to learn from Asia and collaborate in an inter-Asian context. It appears that we are entering an era where Asia needs to be considered as a method, and there is a need to learn from Asia, once again.

Thank you for your kind attention.