33 Facts About Noriko Tadano

Noriko Tadano has performed with renowned contemporary musicians as well as traditional Japanese artists.

Noriko Tadano was born in Chiba, Japan and moved to Australia in 2004.

Noriko Tadano's father is from Fukushima and her mother from Akita.

Noriko Tadano began playing the when she was six years old.

Noriko Tadano's father grew up in the rural village of Iitate, Fukushima, and listened to traditional Japanese folk songs whilst working in the fields.

Noriko Tadano moved to Melbourne, Australia in 2004, spending time as a Japanese assistant language teacher, as well as busking on the street and performing on the at open mic nights.

Noriko Tadano saw her work as an opportunity to share Japanese culture with others, and to give people the opportunity to see a traditional Japanese instrument.

In 2008, Noriko Tadano independently released her solo album Staircase to the Moon.

Noriko Tadano encountered this during a trip to Broome, Western Australia when playing a show at the Shinju Matsuri.

Noriko Tadano was awarded the Head Judge's Special Award at the Hirosaki World Cup in 2009, and in the same year performed solo at the Japan Australia Music Goodwill Mission Xmas Concert at the Sydney Opera House.

Noriko Tadano collaborated with Gerry Hale in 2009 performing at La Mama Theatre as part of The Melbourne Jazz Fringe Festival as well as a number of other shows around Melbourne.

Noriko Tadano performed at WOMADelaide 2010, playing a solo show and two duo shows with George Kamikawa, as well as being invited on the main stage to be part of the All Star Gala on the final day.

Noriko Tadano appeared on the popular Australian music quiz show 'Spicks and Specks' in 2010, closing the show with a performance with Dave Faulkner, lead singer of the band Hoodoo Gurus.

Noriko Tadano performed with Old Man River at the East Brunswick Club in Melbourne on July 15,2011 and performed with George Kamikawa at the 5th World Summit on Art and Culture held in Melbourne in the same year.

Noriko Tadano performed solo at the Australasian World Music Expo 2011, held in Melbourne.

In 2012, Noriko Tadano teamed up with George Kamikawa to perform on season 6 of the Australia's Got Talent TV show.

In 2014, Noriko Tadano composed the music live on stage for the theater production Everyman and the Pole Dancers, directed by Lech Mackiewicz in collaboration with the theatre company Shinjuku Ryozanpaku and Auto Da Fe.

In 2010 and again in 2016, Noriko Tadano supported the heavy metal band Twelve Foot Ninja at iconic Melbourne live music venues such as the Corner Hotel and Ding Dong Lounge, and had a cameo in the 2015 'One Hand Killing' music video.

In mid-2016, Noriko Tadano toured Japan with George Kamikawa, playing shows in Tokyo, Chiba and Mie prefecture.

Noriko Tadano has continued to perform at many Australian festivals in both solo and collaborative performances, at festivals including Woodford Folk Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Caloundra music festival, Airlie Beach Festival of Music and the National Folk Festival, as well as international festivals such as CubaDupa, Powell Street Festival and Lang Schwenninger Kulturnacht.

In February 2019, Noriko Tadano supported Nai Palm, lead singer of three time Grammy-nominated Hiatus Kaiyote at The Curtin, Melbourne.

Noriko Tadano was commissioned to develop an original audio guide score to the highly successful Japan Supernatural exhibition held at the Art Gallery of NSW in 2020.

In 2020, Noriko Tadano was interviewed by the Japanese TV Asahi program Beat Takeshi's TV Tackle, hosted by Takeshi Kitano.

Noriko Tadano discussed the impact that COVID-19 has had on Australia and the live music industry.

In December 2021, Noriko Tadano performed at the Japanaroo concert in Sydney Town Hall, collaborating with digeridoo player William Barton and sharing the stage with performers including Kamahl.

In 2021, Noriko Tadano wrote, directed and produced a solo theatre show titled Yasha's Lullaby as her first foray into acting.

Noriko Tadano appeared with George Kamikawa in an advertisement celebrating the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's 90th birthday.

In June 2023, Noriko Tadano collaborated with the Australian String Quartet for multiple live shows.

In July 2023, Noriko Tadano toured Europe performing in Germany with Berlin based Iki Iki Taiko as well as debut shows at the Japan Paris Expo 2023.

Noriko Tadano's relatives were heavily impacted by the resulting Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster and were forced to evacuate their homes.

Noriko Tadano's relatives survived, but none have been able to return to their homes, farms and businesses, deemed too close to the disaster for a safe return to be possible.

In 2015, Noriko Tadano performed at the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, supporting The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

In 2021, Noriko Tadano joined a number of artists in a Fundraising Concert for Afghanistan.