East Winds, Inc. was founded in 1999 by Marco Lienhard. It is an organization that helps bring Asian arts to the community and to schools in New York State, focusing primarily on Japanese music. East Winds, Inc. has helped plan and sponsor tours for Japanese dance and music groups. Taikoza is one group that East Winds supports to accomplish that goal. Other groups that the support of East Winds has helped tour in the USA are: Ichikawa Chikujo Tsugaru Shamisen Ensemble, Hanayui, and East Winds Ensemble (koto, and shakuhachi).

The enchanted sounds of the shakuhachi (flute) and the koto (semi cylindrical zither with 13 strings) are featured in an exciting program of modern and traditional music performed by members of the group Masayo Ishigure and Marco Lienhard. They have released a CD to critical acclaim and have collaborated on many other projects. Order “The East Winds Ensemble, Theme Music From H. Miyazaki Anime” at CDBaby.com.

Performances have taken the group to Japan, Mexico and throughout the US, to some of the world’s most renowned halls including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Boston Symphony Hall, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, and Osaka Festival Hall. Past concerts include, Symphony Space in New York, Salamanca Hall in Gifu Japan, concert in Tokyo, Museum of Art of Gifu, Concert for World Music Institute in New York, U of Maryland, Gettysburg College, Wesleyan College, University of Nuevo Leon, Mexico.