Gagaku and Noh invite us to witness and experience the salvation of souls. You will learn about the significance of masks and spirituality in these performances and musical components.

Gagaku (雅楽) is a type of Japanese classical music that has been performed at the Imperial Court in Kyoto since the 7th century. Today, it is performed by the Board of Ceremonies in the Tokyo Imperial Palace, and at ceremonies held at Japanese shrines. Noh (能), came from Sarugaku, which was a form of theatre popular in Japan during the 11th to 14th centuries for a form of entertainment reminiscent of the modern-day circus. Over the centuries, Sarugaku became sophisticated and developed Noh (能), which is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 13th century.

Instructor Bio

Takahashi Sensei received her MFA in Contemporary Studio Practice from Portland State University (Portland, OR) in 2013. She earned a BFA in Japanese Painting from Joshibi University of Art and Design (Japan), where she was awarded a prize for her thesis work.

She was a research scholar at the University of Oregon, focusing on the conceptual understanding of Japanese aesthetics from 2015-2018. Her artwork has also been collected and exhibited internationally.