Pianist Yuko Fujiyama founded Contemporary East in 2022. The new nonprofit organization aims to showcase the beauty of Eastern expression in improvisational music, and provide opportunity for artists of diverse backgrounds across disciplines to converse and create together.

In its first curatorial project, in partnership with the Roulette, the Contemporary East Series returns to Roulette’s stage to present four ensembles across two days featuring projects by Lesley Mok, DoYeon Kim, Leo Chang, and Fujiyama.

For night two, drummer Lesley Mok will perform works from her debut record The Living Collection featuring a 10-piece band that crosses musical communities – jazz, concert music, experimental electronics, and beyond. Fujiyama will also perform original compositions and improvisations in collaboration with Mok, flutist Robert Dick and dancer Miki Orihara.

Set 1: Lesley Mok The Living Collection
Lesley Mok composition, drums, percussion
David Leon flute & saxophone
Yuma Uesaka clarinet & saxophone
Milena Casado trumpet & flugelhorn
Kalun Leung trombone
Ledah Finck violin & viola
Lester St. Louis cello
Dorian Duke bass & electronics
Elias Stemeseder piano & keys

Set 2: Fujiyama Duos
Yuko Fujiyama piano
Miki Orihara dance
Lesley Mok drums
Robert Dick flute

Contemporary East is founded by Yuko Fujiyama, a renowned classically trained pianist whose improvisational compositions and collaborations have established her as an essential part of the experimental scene in New York City since 90s. During her long career, she has performed with scores of musicians and has always had an interest in the work of Asian and Asian American artists who bring their particular instruments, training and sensibility to expand the world of innovative music. Many of these, veterans and young artists alike, should be better known to larger audiences.