About Us
The Columbus Koto Ensemble has been entertaining and educating audiences throughout Columbus and central Ohio since 2014.
With their broad musical background, the Columbus Koto Ensemble highlights the culture of Japan and the diversity and versatility of the koto, which is similar to a Western harp or dulcimer. Their repertoire includes a wide range of music including traditional works, mesmerizing modern compositions, and innovative cover songs of rock, pop, and anime favorites.
They have played for numerous events over the years including multiple years of The Columbus Asian Festival, Antioch and Otterbein colleges, Wittenburg University, Ohio Northern University, the Cincinnati Opera, Dawes Arboretum, Ohayocon, Midoricon, Ohio State University’s Japan Student Organization Spring Festival, Lakeside Chautauqua, workshops in partnership with JASCO, and many others.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to the group pursuing other ways of reaching audiences, primarily Facebook livestreams in partnership with Boxland Media, funded by a generous grant from the GCAC. Post-pandemic the ensemble has continued that online presence and are active on social media and Youtube.
In 2023 Columbus Koto Ensemble incorporated as a 501(3)(c) non-profit organization with a mission of education, and can now accept donations to help support those efforts! The ensemble puts on workshops, fundraisers, performances and other events to help fund equipment, music, and general operating costs.
Artist Bios
Lori Fannin
Lori began her musical journey early in life watching her mother play piano. She decided that’s what she wanted to do, and so she did. That has been Lori’s approach to music and learning various instruments. If you want to do it, do it! Lori is primarily self taught with a few exceptions. In elementary and junior high, she took up clarinet and flute and after high school, she chose to make music a career and get a degree in Piano Performance studying under the renowned pianist and teacher William Browning at Sherwood Conservatory of Music and Chicago Musical College. After college, she continued her musical journey into early music, returning to CMC to study the harpsichord with renowned teacher and harpsichordist David Schrader. Lori began adding other instruments such as recorders, harp, hammered dulcimer to her instrument family. She was a founding member of an early music consor,. The Green Briar Consort, playing recorders and joined the recorder duo Taberdyn as a contracted performer at The Bristol Renaissance Faire in Kenosha, Wisconsin. After moving to L.A. to explore more music playing her hammered dulcimer, keyboards, flute and Bass, she became a member of a trio group Dakota. She then moved to Columbus where she soon discovered the koto. She fell in love with the instrument and became one of the founding members of The Columbus Koto Ensemble in 2014. The koto took Lori on a journey to Japan, being on a TV show “Who Wants to Come to Japan”. Though koto is not the last instrument she’s learned, Lori also plays ukulele and classical guitar and is a member of the Columbus Guitar Society. But her biggest joy is playing koto.
Jessica Entis
Jessica Entis has played music since she first tried the flute in 4th grade. She went on to play flute and piccolo in her high school marching and concert bands, including pit orchestra for her high school’s production of the musical “Into the Woods”. She continued marching band in college, and after graduation carried that interest in music with her to Japan. She joined the JET Programme in 2003 and settled in Saga City in Kyushu. In 2004 she tried koto for the first time at the Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) and fell in love with the instrument. After 4 months of instruction under Istuko Kondo of Saga City, she moved to Columbus, OH where she joined the Sakura Koto Group in 2005. Here she continued to study the koto and gain performance experience. In 2014 she became one of the founding members of the Columbus Koto Ensemble.
Lisa Reaves
Lisa Hirai Reaves has been playing koto since she could reach the strings on her mother’s koto. She earned her koto licensing certificate in 2001. Joining the Columbus Koto Ensemble has renewed her interest in sharing her koto knowledge with the public. Lisa also plays piano and violin, having taken Suzuki private lessons since she was five years of age. She was involved in her high school as well as all-state orchestras through high school. She is married to another former Suzuki violin student, Jason Reaves, and now all three of her children are playing musical instruments. Lisa is offering both private and group koto lessons to interested students of koto. She is willing to rent a koto for those who aren’t quite ready to purchase one. Please see her website kotoacademy.com as well as her Facebook page Columbus Koto Academy for more information.
Our Albums on Bandcamp
We have several music albums available for purchase on our Bandcamp page. Bring our music home today!