In 2019, Kirsten was awarded a grant from the prestigious Asian Cultural Council to study Tsugaru shamisen. She was initially drawn by the ways this traditionally fast-paced and high-energy school of shamisen playing spoke to her own background in punk and experimental guitar. She immediately fell in love not just with the music of the shamisen, but the incredible community of people who both preserve tradition and innovate upon it.
Since then, Carey has studied under All-Japan National Champion Reigen Fuji. She has traveled around Japan performed in shamisen competitions in Aomori, Hirosaki, and Otsu. Carey has also been featured annually at the Hanami Nights festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in New York. She has also been featured in festivals and music series across the Midwest, such as Third Place Music Festival. the Improvised Music Series at Elastic, and Fire Music Mondays. Her shamisen and gottan (a smaller version of the instrument from Kyushu) playing can be heard in Jonathan Snipes’ soundtrack for Netflix’s hit drama House of Ninjas.
Kirsten Carey 