Kojiro Umezaki

Kojiro Umezaki is a modern-day musical alchemist, blending the ancient sounds of the shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) with cutting-edge electronic textures and global influences. A longtime member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, this Japan-born, California-based artist bridges traditions through collaborative projects and genre-defying solo work. When he’s not performing globally, Umezaki serves as a professor at UC Irvine’s Integrated Composition, Improvisation, and Technology program, nurturing the next generation of musical innovators. His recent releases like *A Distance, Intertwined* and *Flow* showcase his knack for weaving meditative shakuhachi lines through minimalist electronic soundscapes, creating contemplative music that feels both timeless and forward-thinking.