Music From Japan and its Artistic Director, Naoyuki Miura, are thrilled to announce Festival 2012: a weekend of events in New York City's Merkin Concert Hall (Feb 18 & 19, 2012), and a concert at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC (Feb 22). Now in its 37th season, this year's festival showcases the kugo, or angular harp, and one of its leading exponents, Fuyuhiko Sasaki, in a traditional chamber program entitled "Resonances of the Kugo." With its debut in New York and a repeat performance in Washington, this program includes world premieres of three new Music From Japan commissions. In New York, a second program – "Commissioned Chamber Premieres" – presents world premieres of five new MFJ commissions, scored primarily for Western chamber ensemble.

In light of the trio of catastrophes recently suffered in Japan – the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster of 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 Artistic Director 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.

TICKET INFO

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Resonances of the Kugo

Saturday, February 18, 2012
7pm: Pre-Concert Lecture
8pm: Concert

Merkin Concert Hall
New York City

A program of music featuring the kugo, or angular harp, as restored from 8th century artifacts and played by renowned kugo player Fuyuhiko Sasaki, featuring world premieres of works commissioned by Music From Japan and dedicated to the village of Iitate. Norio Kanno, Mayor of Iitate, will give a pre-concert lecture at 7pm.


Featured Artists:

Fuyuhiko Sasaki: kugo

Mayumi Miyata: sho
Hitomi Nakamura: hichiriki and voice
Takeshi Sasamoto: haisho and Shosoin shakuhachi
Kyoko Kato: hokyo and percussion
Wonjung Kim: voice

Program
7pm: Pre-concert lecture
Japan's recovery lies in Iitate's spirit of "Madei"
Speaker: Norio Kanno, Mayor of Iitate Village, Fukushima


8pm: Concert – Resonances of the Kugo

Sukeyasu SHIBA
  reconstruction from Dunhuang fragments:
  Kyu Kosomon and Kyukyokushi
  for kugo, sho, Shosoin shakuhachi, hichiriki, and hokyo (1983)

Sukeyasu SHIBA
  Winds from Ikaruga for kugo and sho (1991)

Fuyuhiko SASAKI
  To Be Human (set to a poem by Jotaro Wakamatsu)
  for kugo, voice, and haisho (2012) *

Toshi ICHIYANAGI
  Still Time II for kugo solo (1986)

Akiko YAMANE
   Dots Collection No.13 for kugo and sho (2012) **

Takehito SHIMAZU
  Four Haiku: Four Seasons in Iitate
  (set to haiku by "madei ambassador" Madoka Mayuzumi)
  for voice, hichiriki, and percussion (2012) *

Maki ISHII
  Chronology 1200 for kugo, haisho, and hokyo (1994)

* world premiere of new Music From Japan commission for Iitate
** world premiere of new Music From Japan commission

Commissioned Chamber Premieres
Post-concert open forum with
Mayor Kanno and composers

Sunday, February 19, 2012, 2 pm


Merkin Concert Hall
New York City

This concert features the Music From Japan Chamber Ensemble with singer Wonjung Kim in world premieres of five new Music From Japan commissions. Set to a poem by Toma Ibu, Akiko Yamane's new work for voice and piano, Toki yo Megure: Madei no rondo ("Time, Come Around: Madei Rondo"), was written especially for the children of Iitate. Programmed alongside it are new works from four of Japan's foremost young composers: Chikage Imai, Noriko Koide, Toshiya Watanabe, and Jummei Suzuki. The concert will also feature a post-concert discussion.


Featured Artists:

Mayumi Miyata: sho
Hitomi Nakamura: hichiriki
Wonjung Kim: soprano

Music From Japan Chamber Ensemble:

Elizabeth Brown: flute
Marianne Gythfeldt: clarinet
Michael P. Atkinson: horn
Eriko Sato: violin
Ah Ling Ne: viola
Fred Sherry: cello
Stephen Gosling: piano
and the
New York Ikuei Academy Chorus

Program

Chikage IMAI
  towards G for flute, clarinet, horn, viola, and cello (2012) **

Noriko KOIDE
  Embroidery for soprano, clarinet, violin, and cello (2012) **

Jummei SUZUKI
  Time and Lily: from East to West for sho, hichiriki, flute, and cello (2012) **

Toshiya WATANABE
   Twill of Sound III for piano, violin, and cello (2012) **

Akiko YAMANE
  "Time, Come Around: Madei Rondo"
  (set to a poem by Toma Ibu) for voice and piano (2011) *

* world premiere of new Music From Japan commission for Iitate
** world premiere of new Music From Japan commission

Tickets
$20 Individual Concert
$35 Festival Weekend Pass 
$12 Student/Senior Rush (Sunday only)


*Student and Senior discounts available only on the day of the performance at Box Office. Students must show ID.

Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center
129 West 67th Street
New York City

Phone: 212-501-3300
Box Office hours:
Sun–Thu: 12:00–7:00 pm
Fri: 12:00–3:00 pm (Nov–Jan)
For Saturday evening performances, the box office will also open one hour prior to curtain time.

OR

Purchase tickets ONLINE

MUSIC FROM JAPAN NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2012

Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Gagaku Program for Young Students
Washington, DC – Strong John Thomson Elementary School


Program:
Introduction to Gagaku (Japanese court music)
Shoga, students participate in singing the gagaku melody
Excerpts from Ponta and the Thunder God
Workshop offering some students the chance to experiment on gagaku instruments

Tuesday, February 21, 2012, 6:30pm
Lecture: Japan's Recovery lies in Iitate's Spirit of Madei
Speaker: Norio Kanno, Mayor of Iitate Village, Fukushima

The Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan
1150 18th Street NW, Suite 100
Admission free, registration required.
(202) 238-6900, jicc@ws.mofa.go.jp

Wednesday, February 22, 2012, 7:30 pm
Music From Japan: Echoes of the Silk Road
Washington, DC – Freer Gallery, Smithsonian Institution


Featured Artists:

Fuyuhiko Sasaki: kugo

Mayumi Miyata: sho
Hitomi Nakamura: hichiriki and voice
Takeshi Sasamoto: haisho and Shosoin shakuhachi
Kyoko Kato: hokyo and percussion
Wonjung Kim: voice

Same Program as February 18, 2012

Music From Japan Festival 2012 is made possible in part by public funds from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, for the fiscal year 2011, the New York State Counci on the Arts, a state agency, and the Japan Foundation New York.

Music From Japan appreciates support from the Embassy of Japan, and Consulate General of Japan in New York, and cooperation of The Japan Federation of Composers, Inc., Japan Society for Contemporary Music, and all participating venues.

Major funding for the project has been provided by the Rohm Music Foundation, The Mitsubishi UFJ Trust Foundation for the Arts, Asahi Shimbun Foundation, The Kao Foundation for Arts and Sciences, Fuji Television Network, Inc., Asian Cultural Council, Nomura Foundation, and the Morimura Houmeikai Foundation. Music From Japan appreciates the cooperation of The Japan Federation of Composers, Inc., Japan Society for Contemporary Music, and all participating venues.