Solo Performance
Takako is available to perform at both public and private events, offering a range of formats to suit your occasion—from formal concerts and casual performances to interactive, hands-on workshops.
Performances can feature solo koto performances or collaborations with other musicians, tailored to the size, setting, and mood of your event. Takako’s repertoire includes both traditional Japanese pieces and contemporary compositions, providing a unique and memorable musical experience.
Whether you’re planning a cultural event, corporate function, or educational workshop, Takako will work with you to create a program that engage your guests. To learn more, contact Takako at admin@kotobrisbane.com
Collaboration
JADE Ensemble
JADE Ensemble is a dynamic musical initiative born from a shared vision between Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) and Sounds Across Oceans (SAO) to unite passionate musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds in Brisbane. More than just a reflection of the city’s rich multicultural landscape, JADE creates original, inspiring music that blends Western classical traditions with Asian and Indigenous sounds.
The ensemble is anchored by four core musicians:
- David Williams – Indigenous didgeridoo artist
- Takako Haggarty – Japanese koto master
- Dheeraj Shrestha – Nepalese tabla virtuoso
- Anthony Garcia – Australian guitarist and composer
Together, they form a powerful and unique sound world that transcends borders and genres. JADE also collaborates with guest artists, both locally and internationally, continuously expanding its creative reach and musical dialogue.
Gen 絃
East meets West. “Gen 絃” is a duo of string players that have created a fusion of koto and guitar.
Gen絃 (meaning “string” in Japanese) is a Brisbane-based, multi-instrumental fusion duo featuring Takako Haggarty and Phill Wilson that explores the intersections between Eastern tradition and Western contemporary sound. Gen絃’s music is an evolving musical conversation, reflecting each artist’s unique background and the creative possibilities their collaboration brings to life.
Featuring a rich blend of guitar, koto, shamisen, bass koto, and voice, Gen絃 weaves the textures of traditional Japanese music with the expressive tones of blues, jazz, and roots, creating a genre-defying fusion of East and West.
In 2014, Gen絃 released their self-titled debut EP. The track “Mr G” was selected for BEMAC’s world music compilation CD “Echoes” and featured as part of Virgin Airlines’ in-flight entertainment. In 2016, a live performance by Gen絃 was broadcast on Japanese television in the YTV program “Good Chikyu-bin.”
In 2025, Gen絃 released their new album, “Ashiato”, now available on Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, and other major streaming platforms.
Koto and Shakuhachi
Takako and Carl Rathus have been collaborating for over a decade, sharing the evocative and meditative sounds of traditional Japanese music with audiences across Queensland and beyond. Together, they create breath-taking soundscapes, blending the elegant tones of the koto with the soulful voice of the shakuhachi, a bamboo flute deeply rooted in Zen Buddhist tradition.
With both technical mastery and spiritual sensitivity, Takako and Carl bring a profound sense of stillness and depth to each performance, inviting listeners into a space of reflection and beauty.