Etsuro Ono

Born in Akita prefecture, known as the gem of folk music. At the age of 18, he moved to Hirosaki, Aomori prefecture, the mecca of Tsugaru -shamisen to study under the master Chisato Yamda.

After winning prizes at national Tsugaru-shamisen competitions in Hirosaki, Etsuro joined a renowned  folklore theatre company Warabiza based in Akikta. As a leading Tsugaru-shamisen player of the theatre he toured across Japan around the world. His exceptional talent as a composers and an arranger .

He left the theatre in 2003 , and as a solo performer and composer, he has been discovering and creating new expression of Tsugaru-shamisen, bringing its power, unique and earthy rhythm, and colour of the sound to the contemporary audiences in his home town, and abroad.

He is a members of Wariki,  and regularly performs with Shunsuke Kimura as duo.  With them, Etsuro has been invited to the best music festivals around the world including Rainforest World Music Festival (Malaysia),  WOMAD (UK) and Festival Mawazine, (Morocco).

In June 2014 Etsuro released his first album “9 STORIES” comprising new original pieces together with more traditional offerings.  The prominent folk singers Sachie Sato  from Tohoku,  and Shunsuke Kimura.

Etsuro lives in Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture in Tohoku region, with his family.

Festivals and venues Etsuro performed:

Rainforest World Music Festival (Malaysia),  WOMAD (UK). WOMAD (Adelaide). WOMAD (New Zealand),  FMM in Sines, (Portugal), WOMEX11(Copenhagen),  Forde Folk Music Festival (Norway),  Les Suds de Arles (France),  the Masala Festival (Germany), Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome (Italy),  Museum Rietberg (Switzerland).  Festival Mawazine, (Morocco),   Festival Il de France (France) and others.

SoundCloud

山唄 Yamauta

灼熱の森 Luminescent Forest

おぼねだし Obonedashi

YouTube

即興曲 improvisation

炎天花 Entenka

舞い散る Maichiru

Luminescent Forest – With Masaki Ishikawa (Classic guitar)