Miya’s instrument is the koto, a Japanese zither-like instrument with roots in the spiritual practice of Shintoism. In gagaku and Shintoism, a musical instrument, in this case, the koto, is sacred – a god embodying a spirit. To pluck the strings of the koto is to release its spirit or soul, which we hear as sound, and the main goal is that the player becomes the koto. The highest goal of gagaku is to become one with the instrument.

Breaking with a strong traditional Japanese cultural belief that a musician’s goal should be to refine the music that has already been written - some compositions dating as far back as the seventh and eighth century Tang Dynasty in China - Miya has challenged the concept that it is disrespectful to play traditional instruments in non-traditional contexts. She often uses computer interface with the koto, and collaborated with a team of hardware/software specialists on the development of advanced technology for musical and performance application at the STEIM institute in Amsterdam. During her residency at STEIM (Studio for Electro Instrumental Music) two prototypes were built for her: one triggered by her hand movements and the other by data from the koto strings. I find the prototype triggered by hand movement to be the most intriguing, as it uses ultra-sound sensors that capture gestures of movement as well as gestures of sound.

Masaoka’s music is highly creative. She has performed in Holland with the virtual orchestral language of the computer program Voyager (written by George Lewis), recorded with electronic music pioneer David Berham, wrote and performed her own composition for solo koto and electronics: "Koto Configurations, Random and Not", composed "How to Construct a Paper Tar Barrack" to convey her parents’ experience of living for four years in a Japanese American internment camp. Her work, both in performance and recording, using 3000 live bees, violin, percussion and koto, explores the synchronization of the bees’ wings into varying rhythms and pitch and their relation to human sound-making.

Masaoka has performed extensively in the United States, Europe, Japan, Canada and India, both solo and with an impressive list of artists: Pharoah Sanders, the Berlin Opera, the Berlin Rias Dorchester Symphony, The Cecil Taylor Orchestra, Rova Saxophone Quartet, Steve Coleman, Mark Izu, Francis Wong, Arditti String Quartet, George Lewis, Henry Kaiser, James Newton, and many others. Her debut recording for solo koto, "Compositions and Improvisations" received critical acclaim in both Europe and the United States.

Her music is not for everyone, or every mood. But then, the goal here is not to create a popular sound. As Cecil Taylor, one of her major influences, said, "Living out the quintessential contemporary experience, you don’t have anything but your music... You worked all your life on your music - your voice - your music is all you've got - so guard it, and don’t give it to anyone who doesn’t appreciate it." And always, this musician's "voice" is alternately invigorating, exposing, soothing, uniquely beautiful.

Miya’s musical compositions bring the age-old argument surrounding the definition of jazz to a new level. It is, after all, about redefinition. Her improvisational skill is impressive, and she is undoubtedly rooted in both Eastern and Western classical education, which is used as a springboard for her compositions. Often, lesser musicians run out of original concepts on which to base their work, or fall into a pattern of repetition. Miya’s creativity seems to flow from an unending well, and is truly brilliant.

A partial discography:

• "Compositions/Improvisations" (solo koto) - Asian Improv Records

• "Trio: Masaoka, Nunn, Robair" - Rastascan Records

• "Innocent Eyes and Lenses" - Asian American Music Compilation

• "Duets: George Lewis and Miya Masaoka" - Ryokan

• "Tribute to Sun Ra" - Rastascan Records

• "Steve Coleman and the Mystic Rhythm Society" – RCA