Mariko Watabe 渡部まり子

New York Botanical Garden

2011-10-14T12:00:00.000-04:00

As part of the Bronx's New York Botanical Garden's "Fall Flowers of Japan" exhibition, the Tomofuji-Kai will be performing every weekend till October 30th, 2011. In addition, we are also performing at the New York Botanical Garden on October 10th, Columbus Day.

Performances will be held in the garden's Ross Lecture Hall as on two occasions per a day, 1 PM and 3 PM, each 30 minute long events.

Picture by Photographs by David France-Beverly

Please join us for our exhibit of Traditional Japanese Kabuki Music and Nichibu Dance.

Tomofuji-Kai Paramus Performance

2011-04-25T21:00:00.002-04:00

Mariko Watabe Sensei and the Tomofuji-Kai Orchestra is scheduled star in a multicultural performance at Paramus Public Library on Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 2:25pm. It will be the benefit concert for Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. If you are interested in experiencing Traditional Japanese 邦楽 Hougaku music, please join us that day!

We will be performing two Nagauta pieces as well as two Traditional Japanese Dances then.

For further information, please access the Paramus Public Library's Events Page below:

Paramus Public Library Events

We look forward to see you then!

2011 Newark Cherry Blossom Festival

2011-04-23T20:50:00.007-04:00

Mariko Watabe Sensei and the Tomofuji-Kai Orchestra was recently featured in a grand performance during the 2011 Essex County Sakurai Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) at Branch Brook Park, Newark, NJ. The park estimated that there were over 5000 visitors that day. We had a collection box for Japan Relief as well as having the Branch Brook Alliance 50/50 raffle contribution.

The Nagasaki Kunchi Festival

2010-10-15T06:45:00.005-04:00

Featured in the October 8, 2010 Edition of Nagasaki Shinbun.

The Nagasaki Kunchi Festival is one of the three largest festivals in Japan which has started over 370 years ago and is ranked as the national treasure. This year it was held on Oct 7, 8, and 9th. Mme. Kimisen Katada was one of the Narimono musicians at the festival. To view this performance, please click the following links:

If you wish to enjoy the Kunchi Festival in its entirety, please click the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/user/jg6jav#g/u

Enjoy Magazine Interview , August 2010

2010-08-11T06:20:00.000-04:00

Mariko Watabe Sensei was featured in the August 2010 issue of Japan's "Enjoy Magazine" for her work in Tradition Japanese Percussion.

NJ Sakura Matsuri April 18,2010

2010-08-01T22:15:00.001-04:00

Mariko Watabe Sensei and troupe during their annual performance in Newark, New Jersey's "Branch Brook Park - Cherry Blossom Festival (Sakura Matsuri).

eジャピオン Sept. 11, 2009

2009-10-01T23:30:00.004-04:00

Mariko Watabe Sensei featured in an eジャピオン (eJapion) interview. If you are interested in viewing this Japanese interview, please click the eJapion logo above for a direct link to the online edition or you can directly click the picture above to access a scanned version of this article.

Summer Festival at Roslyn in Long Island Aug 23, 2009

2009-09-11T20:30:00.003-04:00

菊祭り NYBG Chrysanthemum Festival 2008

2008-11-30T21:35:00.004-05:00

Chopstick NY

2008-10-26T22:00:00.010-04:00

Watabe Sensei and her students were recently featured in the Focus Section of the November 2008 Issue of the popular Monthly NY Metropolitan Japanese Culture Magazine, Chopsticks NY.

Please refer to Chopsticks NY's web article:

"Learn From The Master: Traditional Japanese Dance and Music"

or the metropolitan publication's November 2008 Issue, distributed widely in multiple areas within the Tristate Area.

If you are interested in experiencing 邦楽 Hougaku (Traditional Japanese) Music in first person like in the article, please feel free to contact us!

邦楽オーケストラ

2008-10-05T23:00:00.003-04:00

みんなで作る邦楽オーケストラ。長唄三味線、唄、小鼓、大皮、締太鼓の演奏と、日本舞踊がここニューヨークで行われています。年齢も5歳から80代の方たちまで、男性、女性、日本人、日本人以外の方たち、皆で一緒に一つの舞台を作っていきます。

お問い合わせは
Tuzu3tai@yahoo.co.jp

先生は日本で日舞、長唄、鳴物を勉強され、1974年以来アメリカ西海岸、北西部、そして東海岸を中心に演奏、舞踊活動をされてきました。オフブロードウェーのサウンドトラック、洋楽とのコラボなどされたり、多くの現地の大学、学校、図書館その他日本のお祭りなどにて日本文化紹介を行ってこられました。現在NYC、Westchester、 Long Island、NJにお稽古場があり、三味線、鳴物、舞踊の指導にあたっていられます。

Japanese Music Orchestra

2008-09-23T21:00:00.001-04:00

Greetings,

If you live in the Tri-state area and are interested in learning traditional Japanese arts such as Shamisen (Syamisen, Samisen), Traditional Singing, Japanese Percussion (Kotsuzumi, Okawa, Shime Taiko), as well as Traditional Japanese Dance, please feel free to contact Instructor 渡部まり子 (Mariko Watabe) at:

E-mail: Tuzu3tai@yahoo.co.jp

Watabe Sensei has attain *名取り (accredited professional status) certification by famous schools in many of the fields she teaches:

長唄: 杵屋吉藤次
(Theatrical Shamisen: Kichitoji Kineya) 　
日舞: 坂東麻里ふじ
(Japanese Dance: Marifuji Bando)
鳴物: 堅田喜巳扇
(Japanese Percussion: Katada Kimisen)

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*名取り (Natori) is one of the more recognizable status attainable to Traditional Japanese art performers. Only attainable when your master as well as the head master of your school recognizes your skill level is at the expert level to represent the school, so they grant you a performance title within the professional circle. Only a certain handful exist with such status in every school*
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We offer flexible time and schedules for lessons from ages 5 to 80. In addition, you'll be given public performance opportunities in time. If you're not sure, please make an appointment by e-mail or phone for a trial lesson.

Prior experience in Japanese or Western Music knowledge not necessary. The ability to speak and understand Japanese is not necessary too.

We look forward to hearing from you!