Shamisen

Performances

Miss Caplan’s music is authentic and unique, adding elegance and distinction to your event. It can be as prominent or as inconspicuous as your function dictates, be it diplomatic, corporate, educational, concert, or social. Her repertoire ranges from ancient Japanese classics through contemporary music with an Oriental flavour. If you wish to add a particular ambience to your event, her attire can be formal black tie, Western style with a Japanese touch, standard business dress, or Japanese kimono, as suits your occasion. Should your guests be interested, Caplan can discuss her music in English, French and Japanese.

Miss Caplan has performed at private and diplomatic functions whose hosts or honoured guests have included Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Takamado of Japan, Ontario Premier David Peterson, Toronto Mayor Art Eggleton, Japanese Ambassador to Canada Kiyoaki Kikuchi, and Yukiko Sugihara (wife of Chiune Sugihara, Japanese Consul-General to Lithuania). She has performed in a number of Canadian cities over the years, as well as in the US and in Japan. She has been featured at functions in such venues as Princess of Wales Theatre, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Japan Society of Northern California, Royal Ontario Museum, Hakone Gardens of California, City of Collingwood, Temple Sinai, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Varley Art Gallery, Rotary Club, San Francisco's St. Francis Hotel, Okinawa Convention Centre, and University of Toronto, among others.

If you're interested in having Miss Caplan perform at your upcoming event, please send your request to bookings@lindacaplan.com.


Upcoming

Haru Matsuri / Spring Festival, March 3 & 4, 2012 - 12:00-5:00p

Caplan and members of the York University Japanese Music Ensemble will perform koto and shamisen music over two days at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre's biggest annual event. Two performances per day in the Kobayashi Hall - Saturday @ 1:30 and 3:30, and Sunday @ 1:30 and 4:30. Performers will be in the Hosaki Room between performances to chat. Instruments will also be set up there for festival attendees to have some fun trying their hand at playing them. There are lots of other things to see, hear, play, do, buy, eat, and drink at the Festival, and it's very kid-friendly. Bring all your friends! For venue information, further details and admission pricing, see the JCCC's calendar listing at http://www.jccc.on.ca/calendar/view_entry.php?id=557&date=20120303.

York University Japanese Music Ensemble Year-End Recital, March 15, 2012 - 6:45-7:45p

Caplan's York University Japanese Music Ensemble will present a one-hour programme of folk and contemporary pieces for koto and shamisen. Performance will take place in the Tribute Communities Recital Hall, main floor of the Accolade East Building. Free admission. This event is part of York University's annual two-day World Music Festival. For further details on the full schedule, directions, venue information, etc., please visit York's Music Department event pages:
March 15 ensembles - http://www.yorku.ca/finearts/music/events/?Event=25583&Month=03&Year=2012&Detail=Y
March 16 ensembles - http://www.yorku.ca/finearts/music/events/?Event=25585&Month=03&Year=2012&Detail=Y.


Performance Highlights

2011

Chikushikai "Zenkoku Taikai IN Osaka" (Osaka, Japan)

Bridgepoint Health "Fandango O-Hanami" fundraising event (Toronto)

Hincks-Dellcrest Foundation "Raise A Child's Smile - Night Magic" fundraising event (Toronto)

McKinsey & Company corporate fundraising event for Japan earthquake/tsunami (Toronto)

Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto 50th Anniversary Koto Concert and Reunion at Lakeside Theater, Kaiser Center - guest artist (Oakland, CA)

2010

Takeda Canada first anniversary corporate open house (Mississauga)

"Windows on the East", 13th annual Canadian Event Industry Awards gala (Toronto)

2009

Chikushikai 60th anniversary concert (Okinawa, Japan)

Shiseido Canada "Future Solution LX" product launch (Toronto)

Mandarin Restaurant 30th anniversary "Passport to Japan" event (Brampton)

Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care, New Year's performance (Scarborough)

2008

25th anniversary concert (Toronto). Guest artists: 3rd generation Chikushikai o-iemoto Junko Chikushi (Japan) and Grandmaster Kazuko Muramoto (California)

2007

Heliconian Club, concert (Toronto)

Open Ears Festival of Sound and Music, concert (Kitchener)

2006

York University, Concert (Toronto)

Robert Gill Theatre, Toronto Chikushikai concert (Toronto)

Canadian Federation for the Humanities & Social Sciences Congress 2006, Koto/dance collaboration (Toronto)

2005

Sterling Hall School, demonstration and performance (Toronto)

Fukuoka Mielparque, concert (Fukuoka, Japan)

City of Mississauga, Canada Day (Mississauga)

TFO (TVOntario French language station), “Fouine en fête: festival japonais” (Toronto)

2004

Kobayashi Hall Gala, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (Toronto)

Ontario Japanese Language Speech Contest, University of Toronto(Toronto)

2003

Twentieth Anniversary Koto Concert, Timothy Eaton Memorial Church(Toronto)

Trillium Health Centre Foundation Gala (Mississauga)

“Haru Matsuri” performance and hands-on workshop, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (Toronto)

2002

“Ukiyo-e: Inside the Floating World”, Frederick Horsman Varley Art Gallery (Markham)

“Haru Matsuri” performance and hands-on workshop, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (Toronto)

Presentation and performance, Consulate General of Japan, Japan Information Centre (Toronto)

2001

Seminar and performance, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (Toronto)

Guest artist, Portfolio Arts and Crafts Gallery (Etobicoke)

Toronto Japanese Association of Trade and Industry (Toronto)

2000

Access Japan 2000, “A Tasting of Sake”, sponsored by JETRO and Sake Export Assn. of Japan (Toronto)

Toronto Japanese Association of Trade and Industry (Toronto)

1999

Westin Prince Hotel Katsura Restaurant (Toronto)

Rotary Club President's Ball (Mississauga)

1997

Documentary, “Friends with her Fabric: Setsuko Obi, Quilter”

University Settlement Music & Arts School's “Concert of Japanese Music” (Toronto)

1995

Vision-TV documentary, “Our Hiroshima”

CBC documentary, “The Art of Compassion”

1994

City of Vaughan diplomatic reception for delegates from Sanjo, Japan (Vaughan)

Second Niigata Biennial International Children's Art Exhibition, sponsored by City of Vaughan (Vaughan)

Toronto Japanese Garden Club's “A Touch of Japan” ikebana and bonsai exhibition, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (Toronto)

1993

Tribute to Senpo Sugihara, co-sponsored by Canadian Jewish Congress and National Association of Japanese Canadians (Toronto)

Featured artist, “Musical Legacy - Music of the East” series, Temple Sinai (Toronto)

Guest artist, “New Canadian Traditions”, McMichael Canadian Art Collection (Kleinburg)

“Kariya '93” at Art Gallery of Mississauga (Mississauga)

1992

Guest artist, “Festival of Folklore”, McMichael Canadian Art Collection (Kleinburg)

Concert, co-sponsored by Consulate-General of Japan and Japan Foundation (Toronto)

Guest artist, Murasaki Ensemble concert (San Francisco, CA)

1991

Guest artist, Toronto Suwa Daiko concert, Ryerson Theatre (Toronto)

Diplomatic reception given by Toronto Mayor Art Eggleton, Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto)

1990

Concert, Chikushi Koto School (Fukuoka, Japan)

1989

Concert, Yokatopia '89 Asian-Pacific Exposition (Fukuoka, Japan)

1987

Diplomatic reception given by Ontario Premier David Peterson for Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Takamado of Japan (Toronto)

1984

Opening act at Michiko Akao concert, presented by Consulate-General of Japan (Toronto)

Guest artist, Skate Canada preview, presented by Government of Japan (Ottawa)

Radio/TV Guest Spots

2005

TFO (TVOntario French language station), “Fouine en fête” series, “Festival japonais” episode.

2003

Omni-2 TV (Toronto) - Interview on “Wai Wai Wide” Japanese cultural program

CIUT-FM 89.5 (Toronto) - “The World is Sound”, interview with Steve Starchev

CJBC AM 860, “Le quotidien”, interview in French with Serge Olivier

1993

City TV, “Breakfast Television

1992

CBC AM 740, “Later the Same Day”, interview with Kathryn O'Hara

CIUT FM 89.5, “About Town”, interview with Ted Fox

1987

City TV, “Hello Japan