Pre-concert Lecture:

Japan's recovery lies in Iitate's spirit of "Madei"
Speaker: Norio Kanno,
Mayor of Iitate Village, Fukushima

Concerts:

Resonances of the Kugo
Fuyuhiko Sasaki, kugo
with
Mayumi Miyata, sho
Hitomi Nakamura, hichiriki
Takeshi Sasamoto, haisho and Shosoin shakuhachi
Kyoko Kato, hokyo
Wonjung Kim, soprano


Commissioned Chamber Premieres
works by Chikage Imai, Noriko Koide, Jummei
Suzuki, Toshiya Watanabe and Akiko Yamane

In light of the trio of catastrophes recently suffered in Japan – the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster of March 2011 – this historic festival season is dedicated to helping raise funds for and awareness of Iitate, one village that has been especially impacted by the nuclear calamity, and to which Music From Japan's Artistic Director Naoyuki Miura has close personal ties. Three of the new commissions were written expressly for the village, whose Mayor, Norio Kanno, will deliver an illuminating pre-concert lecture before the festival-opening concert in New York City. Selected tickets for this opening concert – "Resonances of the Kugo" (Feb 18) – will be sold to raise funds for Iitate and help in the slow process of recovery.

A book about Music From Japan, Music, Journey into the Unknown: Music From Japan Festival - A Chronicle, by Kotoko Fukunaka, was published by Kozui Kikaku on September 25, 2011. Details (in Japanese) are at this link.

About Music From Japan

Founded in 1975 by current Artistic Director Naoyuki Miura, Music From Japan continues to preside as the leading presenter of Japanese contemporary and traditional music in the United States and the world. After three decades of touring throughout North and South America, Central Asia and Japan, Music From Japan has presented about 400 works, including 73 world premieres and 61 commissions (for both Japanese and American composers). Over the course of 36 years, more than 159 Japanese composers have been showcased, as well as many traditional Japanese pieces. Music From Japan was honored for its activities when the organization received the Japanese Foreign Minister's Commendation in July 2007. Mr. Miura was awarded the Commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs' Award in December 2007 and Sen Kayoko Award from the Soroptimist Japan Foundation in November 2010.

Become a Tomodochi

Your individual contribution of $50 or more helps us continue the concerts and programs designed to bring you closer to Japanese culture. Tomodachi receive special discounts on concert tickets, priority seating for all our programs, and invitations to special receptions and forums. The Tomodachi contribution and ticket order form is available from Music From Japan. Please email us at: mfjrc@aol.com.