KUMADA KAHORI
Professional biwa player (Tsuruta style),
composer and songwriter of biwa music

She is from Miyagi prefecture, and she graduated from Department of Education of Waseda University. She learned biwa from Mr. Yukio Tanaka. She became the youngest player to win the first place in the Japan Biwa Competition in 2009. She also won many awards such as the Honorable Mention Award from the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, NHK President Award, Japan Biwa Association President Award, and many other awards in competitions. As well as performing all over Japan and popularizing biwa, she composes music based on Japanese literature and classics. She formed KAHORING-BAND, a band consisting of Japanese traditional instrument and western instrument. As the result of all of these achievements, she won the Regional Traditional Performing Arts Honorable Mention Award of His Imperial Highness Prince Takamadonomiya from Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamadonomiya and the Foundation of Regional Traditional Performing Arts Application Center. She also performs with other famous artists such as Kei Ogura and Takio Ito, arranges folksongs and composes incidental music. These activities are regularly introduced through media such as NHK. Currently, she is teaching biwa at Biwa club Bishamon in Waseda University and is performing in many universities and high schools. Her official website is http://www.biwa-kahori.com