About Mu:Arts
Mu:Arts is an international producer and curator specialising in music and the performing arts.
Based in London and Tokyo, Mu:Arts delivers imaginative cross-cultural and interdisciplinary cultural projects inspired by cultural elements and aesthetics primarily of Japan. In the past 15 years Mu:Arts has brought established and emerging musicians and artists to major festivals and venues in over 40 countries. The successful projects we have produced include the series of “Noh Reimagined” festivals which explore the art of Noh, the iconic theatrical tradition that originated in fourteenth-century Japan. We aim to offer open and creative platform that encourages genre-defying, cross-cultural collaborations, connecting tradition with contemporary life, arts and culture.
In November 2023, Mu Arts Japan was founded in Tokyo to further promote the artistic collaborations and events in Japan and the UK, and beyond. We are enthusiastic to develop and communicate with new audiences offering them inspirational experiences through various events and workshops.
Mu Arts Japan（ムー・アーツ ジャパン）、
Mu:Arts Japanは、音楽と舞台芸術を専門とする国際的なプロデューサー／キュレーターである。ロンドンと東京を拠点に、日本の文化的要素と美意識にインスパイアされた異文化・異分野横断型の芸術プロジェクトを展開している。過去15年にわたり、40か国以上の主要フェスティバルや劇場において、著名なアーティストから新進気鋭の音楽家に至るまで、多彩な才能を紹介してきた。ジャンルや地域、文化の垣根を越え、人と人が出会い、響き合う場を創出することを目的としている。プロジェクトの一つである「Noh Reimagined（能リ・イマジンド）」は、14世紀に起源を持つ日本の象徴的な舞台芸術「能」の本質に、現代の視点から光を当てその表現が現代の芸術や社会、文化とどのように共鳴するのかを探る。伝統と革新の接点に立ち、ジャンルを超えた創造的なコラボレーションの場を築いている。
2023年11月、東京に一般社団法人Mu:Arts Japanを設立。日本と英国をはじめとする国際的な芸術交流をさらに推進し、多様な人々との出会いを通じて、感性を刺激する体験を提供している。
Mu Arts Japanの目的（定款より）
当法人は、任意団体「国際能プロジェクト実行委員会」の事業と実績を継承し、
能楽を中心とする高水準の日本の芸術文化を海外に紹介すると同時に、海外の芸術家・
芸術団体との協働による創造的な国際協働プロジェクトを展開し、日本と世界、伝統と
現代を繋ぎ、国内外の文化の交流・創造・発展に寄与することを目的とし、その目的に
資するため、次の事業を行う。
１．国内外における「能リ・イマジンド」プロジェクトの企画及び実施
２．日本の芸術家の国内外での公演、プロジェクトの企画及び実施
３．次世代の新たな芸術作品の制作、初演の支援
４．国内外でのワークショップ、講座、セミナーの実施
５．国際文化交流に寄与する事業の推進
６．国内外の団体とのパートナーシップの構築
７．海外の芸術家の招聘
８．前各号に関連する芸術活動の調査及びマネジメント
９．前各号に附帯又は関連する一切の事業
Past projects and events produced and managed by Mu:Arts
2024
June: The 4th Noh Reimagined Festival at Kings Place presenting Sumidagawa and Kinuta. Participated in the 75th Aldeburgh Festival presenting Sumidagawa.
February: Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono tour in Germany, Italy, and the UK, with performances at Elbphilharmonie (Hamburg), the Japan Cultural Institute in Rome, the Japan Cultural Institute in Cologne, and Kings Place (London).
January: “Song of Rona Island for Noh Theatre“- A collaboration with Scottish poet Kathleen Jamie (poet) , Aidan O’Rourke (fiddle player), Brìghde Chaimbeul(Scottish small pipes player) and Noh performers. Venue: Tessenkai Noh Theatre ( Tokyo)
2023
December:Noh Reimagined Residencywith composers Ben Nobuto and Hollie Harding in Tokyo
October: Noh Reimagined “12-beat Sanbaso” featuring Thick & Tight and Noh performers at Tessenkai Noh Theatre.
April: Collaboration between contemporary artist Cerith Wyn Evans and Noh: Taka Ishii Gallery
2022
June: The 3rd Noh Reimagined Festival held at Kings Place (London)
2019
October: French baroque meets Noh. A R&D session with Noh performers and Lyon based baroque orchestra Le Concert de l’Hostel Dieu.
June- August: “THE鍵KEY” UK premier. A series of events and performances of a sight specific opera, as part of Tête à Tête Opera Festival and London Festival of Architecture.
June: Kimura Shunsuke & Kit Downes Performance, at The Japan House London
2018
June: The 2nd Noh Reimagined Festival – The sublime Illusion at Kings Place London.
July: Noh Reimagined participating The Clásicos en Alcalá Festival at Teatro Salón Cervantes.
2017
July: Kentaro Kobayashi (comedian/actor) “Mr Potsunen’s Peculiar Slice of Life “at Print Room the Colonet.
2016
June: “Tohoku Remix” R&D tour with a French DJ, Etsuro Ono (Tsugaru- shamisen), Bunta Sato(tsugaru-fue), Kagura groups in Miyagi pref. and Tsugaru-hayahsi group. (Supported by Kigyo Mécénat Kyogikai (Association for Corporate Support of the Arts), Regional Culture Award Tax Accountant’s Fund)
16 May: Noh performances and lecture at Instituto Giappone di Cultura, Rome.(Supported by Japan Foundation.)
May: The 1st Noh Reimagined Festival – The contemporary art of classical Japanese theatre
Feb: Yukihiro Isso with Roger Turner & Takinojo Mochizuki & John Edwards concert at Cafe OTO.
Feb: Workshop with Noh musicians for British composers in collaboration with Sound and Music. (Secured funding from GBSF and Sound and Music.)
2015
Feb: Kentaro Kobayashi (actor)UK premier “Mr Potsunen’s Peculiar Slice of Life “ at Leicester Square Theatre
31 May-1 June: –Shibusa Shirazu Orchestra – Torino Jazz Festival
2014
30 Oct~7 Nov: Aki& Kuniko Swiss Tour in collaboration with Culturescapes Festival, official programme of Swiss-Japan 2014
30 Oct Bird’s Eye Club (Basel)/1 Nov Im Rathaus um 4 (Thun)/4 Nov Teatro Sociale (Bellinzona)/6 Nov Kulturpunkt (Flawil)/ 7 Nov ADEM (Genève).
Feb: Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono concerts at Musée d’ethnographie, as part of the official opening of Swiss-Japan 2014.
2013
15 Sept: “Letter to Theo, Encounter Van Gogh” by Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono in collaboration with a French actor, as part of the Festival Il de France
22-23 July: “Japan Music Festival 2nd Edition” at Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome, featuring Shibusa Shirazu Orchestra, and Aki & Kuniko.
8 -28 May: Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono tour/ Germany, Belgium, Holland and Morocco in collaboration with Alba Kulture(Germany) and Festival Mawazane( Morocco).
Schedule: 8 May Köln/10 May Detmold /11 May Brüssel /13 May Bergkamen /14 May Hamm, WDR radio recording/ 15 May Düsseldorf/ 16 May Wuppertal / 18 May Leiden/(NL) /19 May Nijmegen / 21 May Hagen /22 May Herne/ 23 May Remscheid / 24 May Gelsenkirchen / 25 May Bonn/ 26 May Sankt Augustin.
28 May Festival Mawazine, Morocco Rabat -dedicated to Silk Road theme
31 May: Mieko Miyazaki (koto) Concert with Orchestra of the Swan premiering new piece.
13 April~ 27 April: Alnwick Garden, Sakura Festival (Secured funding from GBSF.)
8-17 March: Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono performances and workshops at WOMADelaide and WOMAD New Zealand.
2012
29-30 July: Marewrew and OKI at WOMAD Charlton Park 2012 (Supported by GBSF.)
25 July: London Bon Dancers at Japan Festival 2012
5-13 July: Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono Europe tour:
Schedule: 5-6th July: Forde Traditional and World Music Festival (Norway)/8 July: Zurich (Switzerland) Museum Rietberg/11 July: Rome (Italy) Auditorium Parco della Musica /12 July: Hannover (Germany) Masala World Music Festival / 13 July: Arles (France) Les Suds à Arles (Supported by Japan Foundation).
11- 12 July: “Japanese Music Festival 1st Edition” at Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome, featuring Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono, Tsugu-Kaji KOTO ( Supported by JT)
7-8 July: Japanese Music Festival at Museum Rietberg, featuring Flying Zoo: Sizzle Ohtaka (vocal), Miwazo (chindon), Yoshiaki Sato (accordion), and Yuji Tsunemi (oud), Kumiko Suzuki Taiko group. (Supported by Japan Foundation).
18 May – 15 June: London Bon Dancers at BIG DANCE 2012 as part of Cultural Olympic. (Supported by Big Dance grand through Arts Council England.)
27 May: Bu U, Big Dance Bus on the White Lion Street, Islington
2011
26-30 October: WOMEX 2011 in Copenhagen, Official Showcase,
29 July: Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono WOMAD Charlton Park, UK
27 July: Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono FMM Festival, Portugal. (Supported by Japan Foundation and GBSF)
18 May: Geoffrey Museum, Japanese home cooking event with Atsuko Ikeda as part of the Japanese House exhibition.
3-5 March “HIBIKI: Resonances from Japan” – Japanese Music Festival at Kings Place featuring Mayumi Miyata(sho), Michiyo Yagi(koto), Evan Parker(sax) and others. (Secured funding from Arts Council England, Japan Foundation and GBSF.)
2 March: “Japanese Music -Tradition Toward the Future”, at Japanese Embassy in London
3~5 Feb: Kumiko Shuto (Satsuma Biwa) Europe Tour as part of Asian Festival in Uhtreht, Antwarp, and Amsterdam.
Festivals and Venues around the world Mu:Arts worked with include:
Festivals in the UK
Aldeburgh Festival, Bath International Music Festival, Brighton Children’s Book Festival, Brighton Festival, Canterbury Festival, Chelsea Festival (London), City of London Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, International Aberdeen Youth Festival, Little Chili Festival, Liverpool Biennial, Music Port Festival (Whitby, UK), Peterborough Festival, WOMAD Charlton Park.
Festivals in Europe
FMM Festival (Portugal), Forde World Music Festival (Norway), Imago Dei Festival (Krems, Austria), Istraetono Jazz Festival / Zagreb World Music Festival (Croatia), Les Suds à Arles / Festival Île de France (France), Masala Festival (Germany), Music Meeting (Holland), Osterfestival (Tirol, Austria), Paleo Festival / Culturescapes (Switzerland), The Clásicos en Alcalá (Spain), Torino Jazz Festival (Italy), Warsaw Cross Culture Festival (Poland), WOMEX (Europe).
Festivals beyond Europe
Istanbul International Music Festival (Turkey), Mazawane Festival (Morocco), Oct Jazz Festival (China), Rain Forest Music Festival (Malaysia), The International Folk Performing Arts Festival (Japan), WOMAD New Zealand, WOMADelaide (Australia).
Venues in the UK
Asia House, Banqueting House, Barbican Centre, Brunei Theatre, Cadogan Hall, Cafe OTO, Geffrye Museum, ICA, Japanese Embassy, Japan Foundation, Kings Place, Leicester Square Theatre, LSO St. Lukes, Ritzy Cinema, Royal Pavilion Theatre (Llangollen, Wales), Southbank Centre, Spitz, St Cecilia’s Hall (University of Edinburgh), St. James Church, St Johns Smith Square, The Coronet Theatre, Urbis (Manchester), Wigmore Hall.
Venues in Europe
ADEM, Auditorium Parco della Musica (Rome), Auditori Pau Casals (El Vendrell, Spain), Birdseye Jazz Club, Cafe de la Dance (Paris), Casa Armatei (Brașov, Romania), Chester Beatty Library, Dublin (Ireland), Domforum, Elbphilharmonie (Germany), Jardin de la Maison-Atelier de Daubigny, Jazzschmiede, Maison de la Culture du Japon, Museum Reitberg / Musée d’ethnographie, Neuchâtel, Rasa (Utrecht), Teatro Sociale Bellinzona (Switzerland), Teo Otto Theater, Tropentheater (Amsterdam), Zuiderpershuis (Antwerp).