Kuniko Kato doesn’t just play the marimba—she dances with it.
The celebrated Japanese percussionist has redefined what it means to perform on this often-underappreciated instrument, transforming each concert into a mesmerizing blend of sound and movement. Known for her fluid, balletic technique, Kato brings a visual poetry to the stage that elevates the marimba from a rhythmic backbone to a lead storyteller.
Ahead of her performance at the Abu Dhabi Festival at NYU Abu Dhabi’s Arts Centre, Kato explains that her approach isn’t about theatrics—it’s about feeling. “I’ve never approached music purely through interpretation,” she says. “I go by intuition, emotion. The movement comes naturally, but I always focus on the music’s emotional clarity.”
Her performances, often captured in stark black and white on YouTube, have captivated ambient music fans and drawn praise from icons like minimalist composer Steve Reich, whose works she frequently performs. Kato’s upcoming program includes her striking rework of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 5 and Akira Miyoshi’s Conversation – Suite for Marimba, both showcasing her instinctual yet precise musicianship.
Kato’s musical journey began in Toyohashi, Japan, where she trained as a pianist. But when her petite hands became a limitation in competitions, she turned to percussion—an area that allowed her expression to flourish. “The marimba felt like a large piano I could connect with,” she recalls. “Using mallets meant my hand size didn’t matter anymore.”
Her training at the prestigious Toho Gakuen School of Music and the Rotterdam Conservatory sharpened her technical edge, but she emphasizes that technique alone is not enough. “You need to let the instrument breathe,” she says. “It’s about developing your own voice.”
That voice shines through in her 2017 album Bach, a full interpretation of the Six Cello Suites. By reimagining these Baroque masterpieces for the marimba, Kato offers a rich, percussive resonance that’s both faithful and inventive. The recordings, like her concerts, are intentionally raw and intimate. “Albums are a form of archiving,” she says. “They’re a snapshot of where I am in my journey—capturing nuances that evolve with time.”
As she prepares to perform at The Blue Hall on Monday evening, audiences can expect more than just music. They’ll witness an artist in motion, making each note a part of something larger—a living, breathing composition where rhythm becomes a visual experience.
Kuniko Kato performs at The Blue Hall, The Arts Centre at NYU Abu Dhabi on Monday at 7:30pm. Tickets from Dh175.