Music From Japan’s 35th anniversary season
The 2009-10 season marks the 35th anniversary of Music From Japan. To commemorate this important occasion, Music From Japan presents Festival 2010: two special programs to be performed on the weekend of February 20 & 21 at Merkin Concert Hall in NYC. One features the illustrious gagaku artist Sukeyasu Shiba, and the other focuses on new and recent works by Japanese composers, commissioned by MFJ. Sukeyasu Shiba’s Gagaku Universe will also travel to the Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC on February 24.
Sukeyasu Shiba’s Gagaku Universe will open Music From Japan’s 35th anniversary season at Merkin Concert Hall in New York City on February 20. The concert will celebrate Mr. Shiba’s accomplishments as a performer, composer, researcher, educator, and advocate of gagaku, as well as Music From Japan’s achievements in introducing American and world audiences to the music and culture of Japan. For this concert, Music From Japan has commissioned Mai Fu Jin 35, a gagaku piece based on the classical tradition, as well as dance segments choreographed to three movements from Mr. Shiba’s Shotorashion suite for gagaku ensemble. Works in the all-Shiba program will be performed by his Reigakusha Gagaku Ensemble and guest performers, including mikomai dancer Maya Sakai and dancer/choreographer Stephen Pier.
The second concert in Music From Japan’s 35th anniversary presentation, also at Merkin Concert Hall, is on February 21. Highlights of MFJ Commissions II will present past commissions by Music From Japan, as well as two new commissions written especially for the occasion. Recent works by Hikaru Hayashi, Shin-ichiro Ikebe, and Sunao Isaji will be revived, and new commissions by Hitomi Kaneko and Yasuko Yamaguchi will receive their world premieres. Highlights of MFJ Commissions II will be performed by members of Reigakusha, the Music From Japan Chamber Ensemble, and the Cassatt String Quartet, with Yasuaki Itakura conducting.
Full program details follow below.
Music From Japan Festival 2010: 35th Anniversary Season
February 20 (Sat)
New York, NY – Merkin Concert Hall, 8:00 pm
SUKEYASU SHIBA’S GAGAKU UNIVERSE
Program:
Guwa No. 1 (1966; US premiere)
for shakuhachi and harp
Ichigyo no Fu (1979; US premiere)
for ryuteki solo
Mai Fu Jin 35 (2008; world premiere, commissioned by MFJ for 35th anniversary)
for sho (2), hichiriki (2), ryuteki (2), gaku-biwa, gaku-so, kakko, taiko, and shoko
Chosa Join (1983 reconstructed; US premiere)
for haisho, gaku-so, genkan, and ohichiriki
Shotorashion (1980/2010; *world premiere of dance, commissioned by MFJ for 35th anniversary; US premiere of music)
for sho (2), hichiriki (2), ryuteki (2), gaku-biwa, gaku-so, kakko, taiko, shoko, and dancers (2)
Introduction and Mandala
Shotorashion*
Kisshohoju*
The Rage of Jikokuten and Finale*
Performers:
Reigakusha Gagaku Ensemble; *Maya Sakai, mikomai dancer; Stephen Pier, dancer/choreographer; Bridget Kibbey, harp; *Takeshi Sasamoto, shakuhachi
(*members of the Reigakusha Gagaku Ensemble)
Pre-concert lecture at 7:00 pm by Mr. Shiba
February 21 (Sun)
New York, NY – Merkin Concert Hall, 7:30 pm
HIGHLIGHTS OF MFJ COMMISSIONS II *
Program:
Hikaru Hayashi: Lament (1999-2000) for string quartet
Shin-ichiro Ikebe: Bivalence II (1997) for violin duo
Sunao Isaji: a lovleg day for mirrages on the sea (2003) for flute, violin, cello, piano, percussion, and conductor
Hitomi Kaneko: Almost Dusk (2009-10; world premiere) for sho and string quartet
Yasuko Yamaguchi: Wurzeln (“Roots”) (2009-10; world premiere) for hichiriki, cello, percussion, piano and conductor
Performers:
*Mayumi Miyata, sho; *Hitomi Nakamura, hichiriki
Music From Japan Chamber Ensemble: Eriko Sato and Tom Chiu, violin; Fred Sherry, cello; Tara Helen O’Connor, flute; Stephen Gosling, piano; Eric Poland, percussion
Cassatt String Quartet
Yasuaki Itakura, guest conductor
(*members of the Reigakusha Gagaku Ensemble)
February 24 (Wed)
Washington, DC – Freer Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 7:30 pm
SUKEYASU SHIBA’S GAGAKU UNIVERSE
Program and performers as for Feb 20, except for first piece:
Souan no Kai (2003) for hichiriki and gaku-biwa will replace Guwa No. 1
All programs and artists are subject to change.
Music From Japan Festival 2010, 35th anniversary, is made possible in part by public funds from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan for the fiscal year 2009, the New York State Council on the Arts, the state agency, and the Japan Foundation.
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© 21C Media Group, February 2010