Tsugaru Jonkara Bushi
Micah C.
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Tsugaru Jonkara Bushi is a traditional Japanese composition meant to be performed on the shamisen, a traditional Japanese lute. Often it begins with a section known as choushi awase, in which the performer strikes the open strings to not only tune but also to indicate the start of a performance. The rest of the performance then follows, each divided into small sections that carry different levels of musical significance. This particular version is purely instrumental, what would be called kyokubiki. Almost every performer of tsugaru-shamisen has their own personal version of Tsugaru Jonkara Bushi, and this is my own. It's infused with a variety of musical influences, from more traditional Japanese versions to Korean motifs; an inclusion of great significance to me, as a representation not only of my Korean-Japanese background but also as a mark of defiance against the discrimination often seen against ethnic Koreans in Japanese society and arts. While it may not be the best Jonkara, or even a moderately good one, it is a deeply personal work of art.
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Creativity means the ability to take the beauty and love that the world provides to then create an interpretation of yourself and the world through your art.
