Kuniko Kato sets REICH90 North American tour for October and November 2026

Percussionist Kuniko Kato will bring Steve Reich’s music to five North American stops in October and November 2026, including New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, Vancouver and Indianapolis. Reich is set to attend the Oct. 14 Merkin Hall performance in New York, making the tour’s marquee date a rare live celebration of his 90th birthday.

Why it matters: - REICH90 puts Steve Reich’s 90th-anniversary celebrations in front of major North American audiences across the U.S. and Canada. - The tour also spotlights a new generation of Japanese percussionists alongside one of contemporary music’s most closely associated Reich interpreters. - The New York concert becomes the centerpiece, with Steve Reich expected to attend in person.

What happened: - Kuniko Kato announced the REICH90 North American Tour for October and November 2026. - The tour will visit five stops: Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Indianapolis. - The New York performance is set for Oct. 14 at Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center. - Steve Reich will attend the Oct. 14 New York performance. - Gramophone Magazine has interviewed Kato for an upcoming feature tied to Reich’s 90th-anniversary coverage.

The details: - The tour features an ensemble of rising Japanese percussionists selected by Kato. - Kato described the project as a cultural exchange built around precision, young talent and Reich’s compositions. - Kato launched a crowdfunding campaign through MotionGallery to help cover transport of instruments, production and the ensemble across North America. - The schedule includes Oct. 12 at Rock Nashville in Nashville. - The tour continues Oct. 16 at Zipper Concert Hall at The Colburn School in Los Angeles. - A stop follows Oct. 22 at the Vancouver New Music Festival in Vancouver, British Columbia. - The final featured showcase is Nov. 11-14 at PASIC 2026, the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, in Indianapolis. - Tickets for the New York show are available directly through the Merkin Hall box office. - Tickets for the Los Angeles concert are available online via Eventbrite.

Between the lines: - The tour is built as both a concert series and an international showcase for Japan’s next wave of percussion talent. - Kato’s decision to bring the project to PASIC suggests an effort to reach the core global percussion community, not just Reich fans. - Reich’s attendance in New York adds symbolic weight and likely elevates the event’s visibility beyond a standard tour date.

What's next: - The tour will unfold across October and November 2026. - The November PASIC showcase is positioned as the final major presentation of REICH90. - Kato is also continuing to promote the crowdfunding campaign as the production moves toward the first performance.