Met a new instrument Wako (和胡)
I met a new instrument named Wako (和胡) the other day. It's similar to erhu (二胡). It's made from a Japanese instrument maker and played by a Wako player, Satochiki (里知帰).
I got help from the Bing Chat for explaining the instrument.
和胡の説明（日本語）by Bing Chat
和胡は、日本の楽器製作者・⻄野和宏氏と里地帰によって創り出された独自の近代楽器です。 和胡は、欅などの日本産の木材を使用し、皮に和紙を使うことで音の柔らかさを際立たせています。和胡は、二本の弦を弓で擦って音を鳴らす楽器で、ギターのような指板やフレットはありません。 この構造により、音域の垣根が取り払われ、音のグラデーションが自然と生まれるため、奏者それぞれの心に湧き上がる感情や情景を自由に表現することができます。
和胡は、ウッドデザイン賞2015を受賞しており、福岡を拠点に台湾などアジアでも活動する和胡奏者・シンガーソングライター里地帰の台湾での活動ページにも掲載されています。
Explanation of Wako in English by Bing Chat
If you are asking about the meaning of the word “和胡” in English, it has several meanings. If you are asking about a person named “和胡”, I don’t have any information about that. If you are asking about the musical instrument “和胡”, it is a unique modern instrument created by Japanese instrument makers Kazuhiro Nishino and Satoko Kiji. The instrument is made of Japanese wood such as keyaki and the sound is softened by using washi paper for the skin. The instrument has two strings and is played with a bow, without frets or fingerboards like a guitar. This structure removes the barriers of the range of notes and allows for natural gradation of sound, enabling players to freely express their emotions and scenes that come to their minds.
The instrument won the Wood Design Award in 2015 and is also featured on the Taiwan activity page of Satoko Kiji, a 和胡 player and singer-songwriter based in Fukuoka who also performs in other Asian countries.
Correcting and revising with my translation
Satoko Kiji → Satochiki
Wako (和胡), a unique modern instrument, is created by a Japanese instrument maker Kazuhiro Nishino (西野和宏) and Satochiki (里知帰). The instrument is mainly made of Japanese wood such as keyaki and washi paper is used for the skin to soften the sound. The instrument has two strings and is played with a bow, without fingerboards or frets like a guitar. This structure removes the barriers of the range of notes and allows for natural gradation of sound, enabling players to freely express their emotions and scenes that come to their minds.
Wako won the Wood Design Award in 2015. Furthermore, the instrument is played by Satochiki (里知帰), a Wako player and singer-songwriter based in Fukuoka. He also performs around Taiwan and other Asian countries.
Bing Chat helps me to know the information of Wako in Engish. The name of the player was incorrect, so I mainly changed it. My revision may not be perfect, but I hope this information helps to understand the new instrument Wako.
There are YouTube videos from Satochiki. His performance is amazing. I hope I have a chance to see his concert someday.
いいなと思ったら応援しよう！
