Melody Takata

The US Premiere of “Mu No Kukan, Space for Nothingness" pays homage to Yukio Mishima’s “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion.” Mishima’s novel is based on the real story of the arson of a temple in Kyoto: an event that shocked Japan. The work explores the human psyche and the correlation between desire and destruction through film footage, live music, and text. This work features taiko performer Melody Takata, saxophonist Francis Wong, bassist, shamisen (3 string Japanese instrument) player, taiko artist, and experimental filmmaker Tatsu Aoki, and tuba performer William Roper.

William Roper (Actor & Musician)

William Roper is a multi-disciplinary artist residing in Los Angeles. His primary focus is performance on tuba. He has toured Japan, Europe, and the two Americas, as soloist and ensemble musician. He is represented on 60+ recordings, twelve as leader. He creates works that merge music, stage performance, extemporaneous spoken word and the visual arts. His works explore histories of place, ethnic and cultural groups, and self-history. His visual art has been exhibited in the U.S. and Europe. He has been a resident artist at institutions in the USA, Germany and Japan.