Profile
Chris & Shoko Percussion Duo is a Tokyo-based international percussion duo that is widely recognized for its musical achievements and captivating audiences with its exciting and creative performances of percussion music. Christopher Hardy and Shoko Araya, brought together at The University of Michigan, formed their percussion duo in 1989. Their work has led them on concert tours throughout The United States, Great Britain, Asia and Japan. They have been featured performers at The Edinburgh Music Festival, Lincoln Center and at major music festivals in Japan. Together, Chris & Shoko have produced and performed numerous percussion scores for theater and dance including the music for events commemorating¡¡¡ÈThe 1200th Year of Kyoto¡Çs Founding¡É and ¡ÈAmerica & Japan, 50 Years of Peace Since the End of W.W. II¡É, both command performances for the Emperor and Empress of Japan. In addition to their active individual careers, they have also composed and performed stage adaptations of Yukio Mishima¡Çs ¡ÈDojoji¡É (funded by the Japanese Ministry of Culture) and So Kitamura¡Çs ¡ÈKaguya Hime¡É and ¡ÈOtogi Zoshi¡É.Chris & Shoko can be heard on the Victor, JVC, Columbia, Denon, Polydor, EMI, Equilibrium and Sony labels.Christopher Hardy
Christopher Hardy, an American based in Tokyo since 1989, is a highly praised percussionist, composer, educator and recording artist. Hardy has a background in Western percussion from the University of Michigan and is a hand drum specialist whose primary focus is on Middle Eastern and North African percussion. He also performs and records in Renaissance, jazz, world music and other creative musical settings, and has synthesized this variety of influences to create a unique and individual voice. His solo CD Touch, released under the Victor label, was voted ¡ÈBest Popular Album of 2002¡É in Japan and has been released on DVD as well.
In addition to leading his modern world music group, Tatopani, Hardy has performed or recorded with artists such as Hamza El Din, John Neptune, Kazumi Watanabe, Yosuke Yamashita, Hidetaro Honjo, Eitetsu Hayashi, Kim Duk-Soo, Hideo Kanze (Noh performer), Onoe Shoroku (Kabuki), Shuntaro Tanikawa (poet), and has worked with composers Lou Harrison, Elliot Carter, Kaoru Wada, Ohiro Minato and George Crumb.
Hardy has studied percussion with Michael Udow, jazz vibraphone with Ted Piltzecker and Arabic music with Hamza El Din. In addition to being on the percussion faculty at the Senzoku College of Music in Tokyo, he also presents lectures, master classes, workshops and school concerts.
Shoko Araya
Born in Japan, Shoko Araya is a highly acclaimed marimba artist, percussion performer, composer and educator. Upon graduation from The Kunitachi College of Music, she received the Takeoka Prize and was also awarded the 2nd prize in the Japan Wind and Percussion Concours. Selected for a scholarship through the Asian Culture Council for further study in The United States, Araya then went on to receive a Masters Degree in Percussion from The University of Michigan. She performs extensively on an international level and is not only an outstanding classical performer but also a naturally gifted improviser.
Araya has performed with such legendary artists such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, The Chieftains, Eitetsu Hayashi, X Japan, John Neptune, Masataka Hirano, Mickey Yoshino, Kazumi Watanabe, Shuichi Hidano and Spitz. She has been featured as a marimba soloist at the Patras International Festival in Greece and the Taipei International Percussion Convention in Taiwan.
Her teachers include Tomoyuki Okada, Michael Udow and Yoshihisa Mizuno. In addition to being on the percussion faculty at The Kunitachi College of Music and Showa Conservatory of Music, Araya is a highly regarded consultant and composer for music school texts published by Ongaku No Tomo
Concert
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| Date | Sat/21/Aug/2010 15:00 |
| Venue | Meguro Persimmon Hall |
Marimba & Percussion Duo Concert |
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| Date | Fri/21/Aug/2009 18¡§30 |
| Venue | Aubade Hall |
| Family Concert Play with Music ¡ÚPerformer¡Û Chris & Shoko Percussion Duo Fujio Huruhashi¡Êconductor¡Ë Kaori Shimizu¡Êpiano¡Ë AUBADE Junior Choir ¡ÚTicket¡Û Regular¡ï2,500¡¡High School or Under¡ï1,500 ¡ÚInformation¡Û Toyama City Cultural Foundation +81-76-445-5610 |
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| Date | Sun/2/Aug/2009 15:00 |
| Venue | Okazaki City Civic Center |
| Duo Recital -Enjoy Music Theatre with Family- ¡ÚProgram¡Û Paganini. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin No.24 Kumamoto Folk Songs: Komoriuta aruiwa hika Itsuki no Komoriuta Bach. Minuet Albeniz. Asturias ¡ÚPrice¡Û Adult¡ï1,000¡¡Child¡ï500 ¡ÚInformation¡Û Okazaki City Civic Center +81-564-72-5111 |
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| Date | Sat/8/Aug/2009 14¡§00 |
| Venue | Kurashiki Geibunkan |
| Family Summer Concert ¡ÁMusic Journey of Marimba and Percussion ¡ÚTicket¡Û All Non Reserved Seats ¡ï2,000 ¡ÚInformation¡Û ARS Kurashiki Ticket Center +81-86-434-0010 |
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| Date | Fri/31/Jul/2009 19:30 |
| Venue | Minami Aoyama MANDARA |
| Shoko Araya Marimba Concert Rock Marimba ¡ÚTicket¡Û ¡ï5,000¡Êinc.1 drink¡Ë ¡ÚInformation¡Û Minami Aoyama MANDARA¡¡ +81-3-54740411 |
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| Date | Fri/22/May/2009 18¡§45 |
| Venue | Chion-In Mieido (National Treasure) |
| KouruJippo ¡ÚProgram¡Û Shoko Araya¡ÊMarimba¡õPercussion¡Ë Masaki Yoshimi¡ÊTabla¡Ë Junko Tahara¡ÊJapanese Lute¡Ë Tomoyuki Iwatsuki¡ÊPercussion¡Ë Shizuru Otaka¡ÊVoice Performer¡Ë ¡ÚPrice¡Û All non-reserved seats ¡ï1,000 ¡ÚInformation¡Û GREENS¡¡ +81-6-6882-1224 |
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| Date | Sat 27/Dec/2008 15:30 Sun 28/Dec/2008 15:30 |
| Venue | Aoyama Theatre |
Cerebration Concert for Complete Three CD&DVD Series |
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| Date | Sat 13/Dec/2008 16:00 |
| Venue | Ota Kumin Hall, Tokyo, Aprico Hall |
Aprico Christmas Festival 2008 |
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| Date | Sat 29/Nov/2008 19:00 |
| Venue | Shibuya Koendori Classics |
Shoko Marimba Live Vol.3 "Winter Window" |
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| Date | Sat 15/Nov/2008 13:00 |
| Venue | Roppongi Hills Arena |
¡ÚPerformer¡Û |
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| Date | Tue/23/Sep/2008 16:00 |
| Venue | Okayama Symphony Hall |
| Papaya Suzuki's Dancing Classic ¡ÚPerformer¡Û Papaya Suzuki & Oyaji Dancers Chris & Shoko Percussion Duo Okayama Philharmonic String Orchestra ¡ÚProgram¡Û Taku Izumi. "Tenohira wo Tiyo ni" Rossini. William Tell Overture Saint-Saens. The Swan from Suite "/The Carnival of the Animals/" ¡ÚPrice¡Û S \4,500 / A \3,500 / B \2,500 / Youth Seat (Under 25) \500 ¡ÚInfo&Ticket¡Û Okayama Symphony Hall Ticket Center +81-(0)86-234-2010 |
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| Date | Sat. 30/Aug/2008 11:00/13:00/15:00 |
| Venue | Rune Kodaira, Reception Hall |
| Oyako Waku Waku Concert Price: Free Entrance Info&Ticket: Kodaira Citizens Cultural Hall +81-(0)42-346-9000 |
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| Date | Sat, 8/Dec/2007 19:00 |
| Venue | Shibuya Koen Dori Classics, Tokyo |
| SHOKO LIVE [Guest Musicians] Yoko Ehara (Voice & Piano) Christopher Hardy (Perc.) Joji Sawada (Bass) [Price] \3,000 / Concert day \3,500 [Info&Ticket] Koen dori Classics: 03-3464-100%1 |
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| Date | Fri. 28/September/2007 19:00 |
| Venue | Mon-naka Tenjou Hall, Tokyo |
| SHOKO Live Performer, SHOKO(Marimba,Piano,Sing) Hana Higuchi(Marimba) Christopher Hardy(Percussion) Hiroshi Yoshino(Double bass) Price, \3,000 / \3,500 Info&Ticket, Mon-naka Tenjou Hall: 03-3641-8275 |
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| Date | Sat. 1/September/2007 15:00 |
| Venue | Hekinan Geijutsu Bunka Hall, Aichi |
| Chris&Shoko Percussion Duo Performer, Christopher Hardy Shoko Araya Program, N.N. Price, \2,000 (Price for concert day \2,500) Student Under15 \1,000 (Price for concert day \1,200) Info&Ticket, Hekinan Geijutsu Bunka Hall: 0566-48-3731 |
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| Date | Sat. 4/August/2007 15:30 |
| Venue | Airys Hall, Gunma |
Papaya Suzuki's Dancing Classic Music |
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| Date | Sat. 28/July/2007 |
| Venue | Jarvi Hall, Nagano |
| Chris&Shoko Percussion Duo Performer, Christopher Hardy Shoko Araya Program, J.S.Bach: Menuet in G major Albeniz: Asturias Bartok: Pe loc¡ÊRoumanian folk dances) Shoko Araya: Tambourine Beat Paganini: Caprice No.24 .... Price, \1,000(Price for concert day \1,500) Student Under15 \free Info&Ticket, Koumi Sougou Center: 0267-92-4391 |
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