Outline 2000, Research Centre for Japanese Traditional Music

<body> <p class="alternate"><a href="../../../../old_web/archive/outline/ol2000/index.html" hreflang="ja" rel="alternate" accesskey="O">in Japanese</a></p> <div class="sitename"> <h1>Research Centre for Japanese Traditional Music<br> Kyoto City University of Arts<br> Outline of Centre<br> 2000</h1> </div> <p class="breadcrumbs"> <a href="../../../index.html">Home</a> > <a href="../../index.html">Archive</a> > <a href="../index.html">Outline of Centre</a> > Outline, 2000</p> <h2>Contents</h2> <ul> <li><a href="#preface">Preface</a></li> <li><a href="#activities">Activities of the Research Centre</a></li> <li><a href="#fields">Fields of Research</a></li> <li><a href="#staff">Staff</a></li> <li><a href="#facilities">Facilities</a></li> <li><a href="#history">History</a></li> </ul> <h2><a name="preface"></a>Preface</h2> <p>The Research Centre for Japanese Traditional Music was founded at the Kyoto City University of Arts on April 1, 2000, with the aim of undertaking comprehensive research on traditional music and performing arts within the society and culture of Japan. </p> <p>In the more than one hundred years since the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Japan has earnestly followed a path of modernization and Westernization, which has become even more pronounced in the fifty something years since the end of World War II. We have reached a time ripe for the reconsideration of Japans traditional culture, and the development of new approaches to it. The founding of the Research Centre for Japanese Traditional Music at the Kyoto City University of Arts is of particular significance in view of the fact that Kyoto has long been the living centre of Japans traditional culture.</p> <p>Kyoto is rich in physical evidence of its traditional culture, what we may term a visual heritage; with the establishment of this new body, however, the city authorities have demonstrated an attitude of respect towards its aural heritage. As a new centre for research on Japans traditional music, the Research Centre aims to make a broad and significant contribution to the field of Japanese music, by means of joining the past and the present with a unique range of activities in research and creation within the wider perspective of Japans traditional culture.</p> <p class="fname"><a href="index.html">Top of Page</a></p> <hr> <h2><a name="activities"></a>Activities of the Research Centre</h2> <h3>Central activities</h3> <h4>Collecting, ordering, and preserving research materials of relevance to the study of Japans traditional music and performing arts:</h4> <blockquote> <p>Documentary materials (books, periodicals, old documentary sources, copied and non-printed materials including microfilm, etc.); audio-visual materials; instruments and related materials; pictorial materials; materials in electronic form, such as existing databases and the like</p> </blockquote> <h4>Individual research on Japans traditional music and performing arts: </h4> <ol> <li>Research by individual members of the full-time staff</li> <li>Research on particular themes by scholars employed as part-time research fellows</li> </ol> <h4>Team research on Japans traditional music and performing arts: </h4> <ol> <li>Team research undertaken from an interdisciplinary and international perspective by research teams based at the Research Centre, formed for that purpose with the cooperation and participation of researchers and performers from both Japan and overseas</li> <li>Surveys in collaboration with other bodies and/or individuals</li> </ol> <h4>Commissioned research on aspects of Japans traditional music and performing arts:</h4> <ul> <li>Research commissioned from scholars outside of the Research Centre on their fields of speciality</li> </ul> <h3>The Research Centre as a centre for research</h3> <p>A primary goal of the Research Centre is to share and exchange information and the results of research with researchers, other research establishments, and performers, not only within Japan but throughout the world.</p> <h3>Bringing the results of research to a wider audience</h3> <p>The results of research carried out at the Centre will be presented to the public in a wide variety of forms, including public lecture series, seminars, workshops, lecture-demonstrations and the like. They will also be published in the forms of a regular newsletter, an annual bulletin, and collections of research materials and the like. The Centre also plans to take advantage of developments in the electronic media with the development of databases for use on the Internet.</p> <p class="fname"><a href="index.html">Top of Page</a></p> <hr> <h2><a name="fields"></a>Fields of Research</h2> <p>The research fields of the Research Centre encompass the past, present and future of Japans traditional music.</p> <ol> <li> <h3>The development and transmission of music prior to the Meiji Restoration of 1868</h3> <dl> <dt>Prehistoric times </dt> <dd>Religious song and performing arts (including archaeological study of surviving examples of instruments, etc.)</dd> <dt>Ancient times</dt> <dd>Buddhist music (<dfn>shoomyoo</dfn>, etc.)</dd> <dd>Ceremonial and entertainment music of the court (<dfn>gagaku</dfn>, etc.)</dd> <dt>Medieval times</dt> <dd>Buddhist performing arts (<dfn>biwa</dfn>-accompanied narrative, <dfn>zoogei</dfn>, <dfn>shakuhachi</dfn>, etc.) </dd> <dd>Performing arts of the warrior class (<dfn>noo</dfn>, <dfn>kyoogen</dfn>, etc.)</dd> <dd>Popular song (<dfn>imayoo</dfn>, medieval <dfn>kouta</dfn>, etc.)</dd> <dt>Pre-modern times</dt> <dd>Music from foreign sources (so-called Christian music, Chinese <dfn>qin</dfn> music in Japan, <dfn>minshingaku</dfn>) </dd> <dd>Theatrical music (<dfn>gidayuu-bushi</dfn>, other types of <dfn>jooruri</dfn> including <dfn>tokiwazu-bushi</dfn>, etc., <dfn>nagauta</dfn>, <dfn>hayashi</dfn> music in <dfn>kabuki</dfn>, etc.)</dd> <dd>Non-theatrical music (<dfn>jiuta sookyoku</dfn>, other <dfn>shamisen</dfn> genres, <dfn>biwa</dfn>-accompanied vocal genres, <dfn>shakuhachi</dfn>, etc.) </dd> <dd>Popular song (<dfn>kouta</dfn>, <dfn>hauta</dfn>, etc.) </dd> </dl> </li> <li> <h3>Developments in traditional music since the Meiji Restoration</h3> <ul> <li>The development of traditional music and its possibilities, including composition </li> <li>The reception of traditional music and the place of traditional music in education</li> </ul> <li> <h3>Music in daily life, in the broadest terms</h3> <ul> <li>Folk transmission and the music and performing arts of areas related to Japan and of its indigenous minorities</li> <li>Music and the performing arts in daily life (childrens song and folk song; folk performing arts including festival music)</li> </ul> </ol> <h2>Research Methods</h2> <p>Depending on the object of research, a great variety of approaches are possible: philological, historiographical, sociological, folklorical, ethnological, archaeological, organological, etc. Field studies are also an important part of the Research Centres responsibilities. Aesthetic and theoretical studies covering single genres or combinations of genres are also to be undertaken, as is research on individual pieces of music, performance techniques, forms of musical transmission, the construction of music instruments, and so on. Every effort will be made to gain a dynamic understanding of the complexity of music making as a fundamental human activity.</p> <p class="fname"><a href="index.html">Top of Page</a></p> <hr> <h2><a name="staff"></a>Staff</h2> <h3>Members of the Full-time Research Staff, their research fields and current research topics</h3> <ul> <li>Director: HIROSE Ryoohei (Modernization of Japanese music) Stone flutes of the Joomon period and their relationship to ancient ceremony; Japans traditional music as a source for creation</li> <li class="sname">Professor: KUBOTA Satoko (Historiography of Japanese music) Research on the <dfn>sankyoku</dfn> music world after the abolition of the Toodoo Shokuyashiki; Research on works of the <dfn>jiuta</dfn> and <dfn>sookyoku</dfn> repertoires</li> <li>Professor: NAGAHIRO Hitoshi (Contemporary music for traditional instruments) Historical study of the genre of contemporary works for traditional instruments; Documentation and cataloguing of broadcasts of contemporary works for traditional instruments</li> <li>Associate Professor: Steven G. NELSON (Historiography of Japanese music, ancient to pre-modern) Comprehensive research on the <dfn>Junshi oojoo kooshiki</dfn>; Research on the methods of musical construction employed in early performances of <dfn>kooshiki</dfn> texts</li> <li>Associate Professor: TAI Ryuuichi (Ethnomusicology; Japanese performing arts) Comparative research on <dfn>dashi-bayashi</dfn>, festival float music; Research on the <dfn>hayashida</dfn> folk music genre of the Chuugoku District</li> <li>Associate Professor: TAKAHASHI Mito (History of the performing arts; Japanese music and information technology) Comparative research on central and peripheral <dfn>bugaku</dfn> dance traditions; Construction of a database on Japans traditional music instruments</li> </ul> <h3>Research Fellows, their affiliations and current research topics</h3> <ul> <li>IZAWA Toshiharu (President of the Study Group for Enlivening the Kamigata Region): Research on the <dfn>zashiki</dfn> songs of the Kamigata region</li> <li>NAKAHARA Kanae (Research Fellow, Japan Society for Promotion of Science): Research on music treatises and music tales of the medieval period</li> <li>OZEKI Yoshie (Part-time Lecturer, Nara University of Education): Research on the methodology of education in Japanese music</li> <li>UESUGI Koodoo (Visiting Professor, Takasaki Junior College of Arts): Acoustic and organological research on early stone and clay flutes</li> <li>YAMADA Chieko (Part-time Lecturer, Kyoto City University of Arts): Musicological research on <dfn>gidayuu-bushi</dfn></li> </ul> <h3>Team and Commissioned Research</h3> <h4>Team Research Projects (Team leader; guest researchers)</h4> <ol> <li>Texts of Japanese vocal music 1: <dfn>Jiuta-sookyoku</dfn><br> KUBOTA Satoko; MANABE Masahiro, NAGAIKE Kenji, NOGAWA Mihoko, ONO Mitsuyasu, SASAKI Mika, SUZUKI Yukiko, YAMANE Michihiro </li> <li>Aspects of <dfn>dashi-bayashi</dfn>, festival float music<br> TAI Ryuuichi; AOMORI Tooru, FUKUHARA Toshio, HIGUCHI Akira, IRIE Nobuko, IWAI Masahiro, KAKITOO Toshihiro, MASUDA Takeshi, UEKI Yukinobu, YONEDA Minoru </li> <li>The lineage of the Japanese zithers: the instruments, documentary materials, and performance techniques<br> Steven G. NELSON; AOKI Hiroyuki, ENDOO Tooru, FUKUSHIMA Kazuo, ISO Mizue, WADA Katsuhisa </li> </ol> <h4>Commissioned Research</h4> <ul> <li>Towards a methodology for a Japanese music iconography (KATSUMURA Jinko, part-time lecturer in musicology at Kunitachi College of Music)</li> <li>Documentation of field photographs of regional <dfn>bugaku</dfn> traditions (SAKAI Nobuyoshi, <dfn>bugaku</dfn> photographer)</li> <li>The role of the <dfn>shakuhachi</dfn> in the <dfn>sankyoku</dfn> ensemble (MORITA Shuuzan, researcher on the shakuhachi)</li> </ul> <hr> <h3>Administrative Secretariat</h3> <ul> <li>Director: IMAI Hiroshi</li> <li>Chief: NOMURA Mariyo</li> <li>Clerical Staff: GOTOO Chikayo</li> </ul> <h3>Librarian and Research Assistants</h3> <ul> <li>Librarian: IGUCHI Haruna</li> <li>Research Assistants: IMAI Toshiyuki, ITOO Shino, SHINOMIYA Yutaka</li> </ul> <p></p> <p class="fname"><a href="index.html">Top of Page</a></p> <hr> <h2><a name="facilities"></a>Facilities</h2> <p>The Research Centre for Japanese Traditional Music is situated on the 6th to 8th floors of the Universitys Shinkenkyuutoo (New Research Building), with a total area of approx. 1500m<sup>2</sup>.</p> <table width="95%" border="1"> <tr> <th align="center" nowrap>6th floor:</th> <td>Directors office, administration, committee meeting room, reference library, materials management room, individual office</td> </tr> <tr> <th align="center" nowrap>7th floor:</th> <td>Seminar rooms (2), instrument storeroom, special collection</td> </tr> <tr> <th align="center" nowrap>8th floor:</th> <td>Individual offices (5), fellows rooms (2), audio-visual studio, training rooms (2)</td> </tr> </table> <p class="fname"><a href="index.html">Top of Page</a></p> <hr> <h2><a name="history"></a>History</h2> <table width="95%" border="0" cellpadding="4"> <tr> <th align="left">1991</th> <td>The need for a new Kyoto centre for research on Japans traditional music expressed by HIROSE Ryoohei at an international conference of the worlds cities</td> </tr> <tr> <th align="left">1993</th> <td>Expansion of the Kyoto City University of Arts proposed within the citys plans for its renewal</td> </tr> <tr> <th align="left">1996</th> <td>Initial plans for the Research Centre tabled; preparatory committee for the Research Centres founding established</td> </tr> <tr> <th align="left">1997</th> <td>Budget allocated for planning the new building and surveying the site</td> </tr> <tr> <th align="left">1998</th> <td>Construction begun (completed early 2000)</td> </tr> <tr> <th align="left">2000</th> <td>Commencement of activities (April); opening ceremony (December 2)</td> </tr> </table> <p class="fname"><a href="index.html">Top of Page</a></p> <hr> <p class="breadcrumbs"> <a href="../../../index.html">Home</a> > <a href="../../index.html">Archive</a> > <a href="../index.html">Outline of centre</a> > Outline, 2000</p> <address>Research Centre for Japanese Traditional Music, Kyoto City University of Arts<br> 13-6 Ooe Kutsukake-choo, Nishikyoo-ku<br> Kyooto-shi, 610-1197, Japan<br> tel: +81-75-334-2240<br> fax: +81-75-334-2281<br> <a href="mailto:rc-jtm@kcua.ac.jp">e-mail: rc-jtm@kcua.ac.jp</a><br> http://www.kcua.ac.jp/rc-jtm/ </address> <p class="date">00/12/13</p> </body>