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33rd Season
Festival 2008
   

Saturday, February 23, 2008
7 PM   Pre-concert lecture by Professor Donald Keene
8 PM   Exploring MA: Ancient Winds & Percussion

The Japanese concept of ma is the focus of this presentation. In a pre-concert lecture, Columbia University professor emeritus Donald Keene will expound on the important but often elusive Japanese aesthetic concept of ma, frequently introduced in relation to time and space. Translating literally as "space," ma has been described by Toru Takemitsu as the "powerful silence" in music. John Cage famously brought this concept to Western attention through works such as 4' 33" and One9. Excerpts of One9 will be performed by Mayumi Miyata (sho), for
Yasunori Yamaguchi, percussion
whom this piece was originally written. Likewise, Munari by Munari was written especially for percussionist Yasunori Yamaguchi, favored by Takemitsu for his singular timbre. These illustrious artists will be joined by Hitomi Nakamura (hichiriki) and Takeshi Sasamoto (ryuteki). The contemporary repertoire, including a work by Hiroya Miura, will be juxtaposed with music for winds from the gagaku tradition.
Mayumi Miyata, sho (mouth organ)
   

Sunday, February 24, 2008
4 PM   Current Sounds: Japan
Post-concert Q&A with commissioned composers

      
A selection of chamber works never before heard in the U.S. from four of Japan's exciting contemporary composers: Tetsuji Emura, Toshio Nakagawa, Masakazu Natsuda, and Yumi Saiki. While frequently performed in Europe, these composers have received less exposure in the U.S. Program includes three world premieres of Music From Japan commissions.
Toshio Nakagawa
Masakazu Natsuda

Performers:
Donald Palma conductor Eriko Sato, Ying Xue violin Daniel Panner viola James Wilson cello
Marianne Gythfledt, Jo-Ann Sternberg clarinet
Susan Rotholz flute Megan Marolf oboe
Cynde Iverson bassoon Stephen Gosling piano
Eric Poland percussion

with Takeshi Sasamoto haisho and
Yasunori Yamaguchi percussion
     
Tetsuji Emura
Yumi Saiki

Tickets  
$20 Individual Concert  
$35 Festival Weekend Pass 
$12 Student/Senior Rush

Merkin Concert Hall
129 West 67th Street
Phone: 212.501.3330
Box Office hours:  Sunday-Thursday 12-7 pm, Friday 12-4 pm


For Tomodachi form and ticket prices, contact Music From Japan via email mfjrc @ aol.com or at 212.529.1888.
Festival 2008 - U.S. Tour

The Exploring Ma: Ancient Winds and Percussion program opens Music From Japan Festival 2008 in New York, NY. It then travels to Birmingham, AL, Spartanburg, SC and Washington, DC. The gagaku artists will return to New York for a three-day residency at Columbia University in early March.

NEW YORK , NY
February 23 (Sat) 8:00 pm $20
Merkin Concert Hall or 212.501.3330

BIRMINGHAM, AL
February 26 (Tue) 7:30 pm $6, $8, $10
Brock Recital Hall, Samford University
www.samfordartstickets.com or 205.726.2853

SPARTANBURG, SC
February 28 (Thurs) 8:00 pm FREE
Daniel Recital Hall, Converse College
Petrie School of Music or 864.596.9021

WASHINGTON, DC
March 1 (Sat) 4:00 pm FREE
Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution 202.633.1000
Advance tickets through Ticketmaster begin February 18 at
www.ticketmaster.com or 202.397.7328

(updated 1/8/08)