'Samurai Tales of Heroism, Loss' in biwa concert at Sheldon Oct. 28

            The Kawasaki Reading Room and Sheldon Museum of Art at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will present "Samurai Tales of Heroism and Loss," a performance of traditional Japanese biwa music with commentary by renowned musician Yoko Hiraoka at 6 p.m. Oct. 28.

            The concert and a preconcert reception from 5 to 6 p.m. are free, open to the public and presented at the Sheldon, 12th and R Streets on the UNL City Campus.

            The biwa, a lute-like instrument, has been used for centuries to recount stories of love, hardship, epic battles and the transient nature of life. Many such stories have been collected together in "The Tale of Heike," an ancient account of the love affairs, battles and tragedies suffered by two warring clans, the Minamoto and Taira of 12th century Japan. While centuries old, these iconic stories continue to influence Japanese culture.

            Hiraoka is a senior master performer and licensed teacher of biwa, koto, shamisen and Jiuta voice. A native of Kyoto, Japan, her performance career started in Japan and spans almost 30 years. Since moving to the United States in 1993, Hiraoka has performed extensively at universities, festivals, lecture-recitals and on television and radio. She has taught at Naropa University in Boulder, Colo., since 1995.

            The Kawasaki Reading Room for Japanese Studies, operated by the Japanese program of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at UNL, is located in Room 302 of the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center.

            Sheldon Museum of Art houses a permanent collection of more than 12,000 objects focusing on transnational American art. Sheldon is open free to the public during regular hours: Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. The museum is closed on Monday. For more information, visit http://www.sheldonartmuseum.org.

Writer: Ann Gradwohl