Release

Japanese Noh Masters Conduct Dance and Chant Workshop at UAlbany

Contact: Catherine Herman (518) 437-4980

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 2, 2005) -- Hiromichi Tamoi and Nobuyuki Oe, Noh masters from Kyoto, Japan will conduct a special workshop on Noh costume and mask to an invitation-only group of students and media on Friday, March 4, 12:30-3:30 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom.

The Noh Masters, certified instructors in the Kanze School of Noh, will teach a workshop in Noh dance and chanting every day to UAlbany and Vassar College students during the first week of March. The final performance by workshop participants on Saturday, March 5, 3:30-5 p.m., will take place at Vassar College’s Avery Hall located in Poughkeepsie N.Y. The performance is free and open to the public.

Noh is a traditional form of Japanese masked theater that combines music, dance and narrative. This style of theater was developed under the patronage of Japan’s warrior class beginning in the mid-24th century.

Tamoi debuted on the Noh stage at age three in 1973. Since then he has premiered well-known Japanese pieces such as “Shakkyo” and “Midare.” Tamoi has performed in China, USA, Holland, Belgium, and France in addition to his full performance schedule in Japan. Tamoi is a lecturer at the Kyoto University of Art and Design, and teaches Noh workshops at the Kyoto Art Institute’s Traditional Theater Training program.

Oe apprentices under Living National Treasure Katayama Kuroeon. Oe debuted at age three and premiered the highly demanding “Dojoji” in May 2004, and has introduced Noh to a wide audience by teaching students from elementary to university level. He is also the director of the Noh club at Nara’s Women’s University.

Co-Sponsors of the workshop at UAlbany are the College of Arts and Sciences and departments of Theatre and East Asian Studies.

For more information, please contact Michael Rich, Department of East Asian Studies, UAlbany (518) 442-2589, [email protected].