Sixth Station Trio Performs Hisaishi's 'Howl's Moving Castle' at Old First Concerts

The trio, composed of SFCM alumni, returns to the San Francisco venue for their third performance in the series.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Sixth Station Trio, featuring pianist Katelyn Tan, violinist Anju Goto, and cellist Federico Strand Ramirez, performed a program of music composed by Joe Hisaishi for the Hayao Miyazaki animated film "Howl's Moving Castle" at the Old First Presbyterian Church in San Francisco as part of the Old First Concerts series. All three members of the trio have connections to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM).

Why it matters

The Sixth Station Trio's performance highlights the continued popularity of Hisaishi's music from the beloved Miyazaki film, as well as the talent of young classical musicians with ties to the prestigious SFCM program performing in San Francisco's vibrant music scene.

The details

The trio's program focused on the "primary theme" and various arrangements and interpretations of Hisaishi's compositions for "Howl's Moving Castle". Despite some microphone issues, particularly with the piano, the performers delivered an attentive and well-received performance that was live-streamed for those unable to attend in person.

  • The Sixth Station Trio performed at Old First Presbyterian Church on February 13, 2026.
  • The trio had previously performed at Old First Concerts twice before.

The players

Sixth Station Trio

A classical music trio composed of pianist Katelyn Tan, violinist Anju Goto, and cellist Federico Strand Ramirez, all of whom have connections to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Katelyn Tan

The pianist of the Sixth Station Trio, who received her Master's degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2020.

Anju Goto

The violinist of the Sixth Station Trio, who completed his undergraduate degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2020.

Federico Strand Ramirez

The cellist of the Sixth Station Trio, who holds both a Bachelor of Music degree and an Advanced Certificate from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Joe Hisaishi

The composer whose music for the Hayao Miyazaki animated film "Howl's Moving Castle" was the focus of the Sixth Station Trio's performance.

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What they’re saying

“As in the past, I chose to watch the Sixth Station performance through the live-stream of the performance. Also as in the past, there were microphone problems, with the piano having to deal with the most difficulties. Nevertheless, the performers did their best; and I did my own best to keep up with attentive listening.”

— Stephen Smoliar, Blogger (blogspot.com)

What’s next

The Sixth Station Trio is scheduled to perform a house concert featuring works by Haydn and Schumann at a Groupmuse event next month.

The takeaway

The Sixth Station Trio's performance of Hisaishi's music from "Howl's Moving Castle" at the Old First Concerts series demonstrates the continued appeal of classical interpretations of beloved film scores, as well as the talent of young musicians with ties to San Francisco's prestigious music conservatory.