Kazue Sawai (沢井 一æµ, Sawai Kazue, born 1941 in Kyoto) is a Japanese koto player noted for her performance of contemporary classical music and free improvisation. She began studying, at the age of eight, with Michio Miyagi. She later graduated from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. She plays both the 13-string and 17-string kotos. As a soloist, as well as with her koto ensemble, she has performed and worked with John Cage, Toshi Ichiyanagi, Yuji Takahashi, Roberto Carnevale, Sofia Gubaidulina, David Behrman, Carl Stone, and many other composers. | Kazue Sawai Plays Midare (JAPANESE KOTO) The greatest living koto player. The Jimi Hendrix of the Japanese harp. |
 | Kazue Sawai plays Bass Koto Japanese artist Kazue Sawai is probably the best-known koto player in the world. She lives in Tokyo, and has a large class of students from all over the world. She was kind enough to invite me to her studio in Tokyo one afternoon in late July, and played a mini-recital to demonstrate the capabilities of the koto. I was particularly struck by the bass koto, played flawlessly and with great passion and commitment in this brief video excerpt, generously offered by this magnificent artist. |
 | Kazue Sawai on Tour from Japan "Kazue Sawai on Tour from Japan" Discussion and Practice Friday, January 18, 2008 4pm Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley international.berkeley.edu |
 | SANKA-Kazue Sawai Plays Tadao Koto Kazue plays her late husband's composition (excerpt) |
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