A very different little orchestra
LATEST NEWSLETTER ::: Tokyo Sinfonia in September
To a few musical friends
Audience members for the Tokyo Sinfonia's Japanese Serenade at the
Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan Friday evening were full of praise
for the delightful evening.
The Japanese dinner prepared by the FCCJ kitchen under executive chef Paul Dodd was pronounced delicious by everyone. I found too that the audience was surprisingly captivated by the music of the four very different composers of Japan, one traditional, one visionary, one serious, one fun-loving.
One distinguished gentleman remarked in all seriousness that he was amazed that he could not hear, even with his eyes closed, even a slight blemish in the playing of the Tokyo Sinfonia. Two business-minded professionals had their heads together discussing how such an attractive musical programme might be marketed commercially to make it bring in some serious money.The five principals of the orchestra chose Sayaka Kanazawa to leave her seat in the second violin section to play the solo part in Haru no Umi (Miyagi). To give the impression that the music is coming from a far-off mountaintop over the waves of the sea, Ms. Kanazawa performed the solo from an elevated platform erected behind the orchestra.
This was the first appearance too for Conducting Intern Takako Yamanouchi, suddenly called to take the baton and lead the Tokyo Sinfonia in Five Film Scenes (Takemitsu). The Sinfonia's principal conductor was just starting to give the downbeat to begin this work when he contracted a case of 12-minute right arm paralysis, and called on Ms. Yamanouchi to save the show.
The audience heard the story behind Sinfonietta for Strings (Otaka), a major, serious opus for string orchestra which the composer never heard performed during his lifetime. The musical programme was rounded out with Triptyque for Strings (Akutagawa), a robust and genial work which made the most of the Tokyo Sinfonia's virtuosic skill and artistic sensitivity.
Tokyo Sinfonia music director Robert Rÿker with audience member Kashu
Mori during the Tokyo Sinfonia performance in August. Inspired by the
Tokyo Sinfonia concerts she attended in Tokyo three years ago, the young
lady, now 7, has taken up the study of the cello in Aomori, where the
family now lives. Following the performance, the entire cello section of
the Tokyo Sinfonia came out to greet her.
TOKYO SINFONIA IN SEPTEMBER
In September, we welcome you again to the superb acoustics of Oji Hall for one of the most ambitious in our premier series of Symphonies for Strings champagne concerts, featuring music of Richard Strauss (9月10日). In his long lifetime, the great German composer was a classic study in contrasts all in himself.
Under the strong influence of his musical father, Strauss' compositions until his 20th year emulated the style of the great German romantics, Mendelssohn, Schumann and Brahms. From this period come Strauss' piano sonata in B minor, which we will reinvent as Symphony for Strings in B Minor, and his violin concerto in D minor, a virtuosic tour-de-force for the soloist. These works abound in romantic lyricism and classical workmanship. If he had written nothing else, we would still recognize the name Richard Strauss today.
In his early 20s, however, Strauss became acquainted with the music of Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt, whose inspiration led him to a whole new world of music. The vast musical canvases which Strauss afterwards produced for the concert and operatic stage are dazzlingly magnificent in orchestra colour and structural complexity.
In his last years, now a revered octogenarian, Strauss grieved for the tragic destruction of European culture, laid waste by years of brutal war. To express his mourning in musical terms, he turned to the father of symphonic music for inspiration, and to an orchestra of strings as the vehicle. From the funeral music of Beethoven's Eroica symphony, Strauss borrowed a tiny kernel of the principal theme, a poignant, eminently recognisable motive of but a few notes. And in the ingeniously wrought string ensemble – each player assigned a separate part – he couched his outpouring of profound expression in a wonderfully textured musical fabric. The result was Metamorphosen.
In the fullness of time, Metamorphosen itself became the inspiration for the exact formation of the Tokyo Sinfonia, and of the richly textured arrangements we feature in our performances.
STRAUSS SERENADE - Fri. 年9月10日(金) 19:00
Symphonies for Strings champagne concert, Oji Hall (Ginza) Tickets: Group ￥5,500 each; Single ￥6,000 4-concert subscription ￥20,000 includes VIP seating and benefits
Metamorphosen for Strings
Concerto for Violin and Strings in D Minor, Op. 8 - Tomoko Joho, violin solo Symphony for Strings in B Minor, from Op. 5 - first performance
Post-concert champagne reception with the artists in the lobby
Platinum sponsor : Minato-ku
Platinum sponsor : Anonymous
Gold sponsor : Apagard
CHAMPAGNE CONCERTS
If you have not yet been to one of the the Tokyo Sinfonia's champagne concerts, let me explain why we do this. The concert image can seem intimidating to many -- we want to make our performances friendly, as well as inspiring. Classical artists may seem larger than life and unapproachable -- we want to let you meet us face to face and come to know us as human beings.
Performance in a musical ensemble involves a natural application of mental response, manual dexterity, interactive teamwork, and aesthetic expression. Participating in a chorus, band or orchestra exercises all of these capacities -- mental, manual, collaborative, and aesthetic. It also fosters social harmony, and cultivates well-rounded human beings. Consider how important this is in the education of a child!
All of us could continue the joyous social aspect of music in orchestras, bands or choruses throughout our lives too. There are many to choose from in every part of Japan: all sizes, all levels, all prices.
It takes a special fire though for even a talented individual to make music a professional calling, and build an adult life around a demanding schedule of rehearsals and performances. All of us in the Tokyo Sinfonia have made that choice -- but we could have chosen something else. I thought I was going to become a civil engineer, for example, and build bridges.
Now the bridges I am intent on building are those bringing together members of our audiences and the artists of the Tokyo Sinfonia. The champagne is symbollic. It allows us to approach one another, lift a glass, and say a few words to start a conversation. And that is what I want you to do when you see one of the Sinfonia players. Then you will soon discover what beautiful human beings they are, every one of them. Our 19 players are the treasure of the Tokyo Sinfonia.
SPECIAL EVENTS
In addition to our regular concerts and dinner-concerts for the public, the Tokyo Sinfonia also may be engaged for private events -- special events which usually aren't announced to the general public. We are constantly involved in discussions and negotiations for events of this kind. In September, in addition to our regular Symphonies for Strings champagne concert at Oji Hall, we will have a flurry of such special events, and I thought you might like to know what the Sinfonia will be doing.
APAGARD
Sangi Company, makers of Apagard, will be celebrating their 25th anniversary Sep. 7 with a banquet and the tokyo Sinfonia in the elegant Hikari Room of the Imperial Hotel.
The Tokyo Sinfonia is delighted to be engaged to present the evening's musical entertainment. We have planned a special musical programme based and elaborating upon our popular dinner-concerts, a type of special event which we are always pleased to assist. Apagard has also renewed our Sponsorship agreement for the coming season of Symphonies for Strings champagne concerts, and will announce this and the coming year's series programming at the event.
MINATO-KU
Minato-ku has again engaged the Tokyo Sinfonia to continue to present Sinfonia-in-the-Schools performances at public schools in this area of Tokyo.
Teachers say they enjoy just as much as the students themselves the way we demonstrate the string instruments, establish a dialogue with the audience, answer questions and actively involve the students. The programmes are fun for us too. Teachers of one of the schools liked our programme so much they voted to have us return for a second consecutive year, noting that some of their students missed hearing us last year. Another school asked us to appear during their open house Sep. 18, so that families could attend our performance along with the students.
SEMINAR
The Tokyo Sinfonia Conductors Seminar is another of our behind-the-scenes programmes. We have opted to extended the Seminar through September to provide more podium opportunities for our Conducting Interns.
Due in no small part to the talent, diligence and development of the active participants, the practical value of the Tokyo Sinfonia Conductors Seminar is becoming apparent in our regular concerts. In june, Conducting Intern Takashi Iida was featured conducting the Tokyo Sinfonia at Oji Hall. In August, Conducting Intern "Takako Yamanouchi was featured conducting the Tokyo Sinfonia at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.
EQUILIBRE
Equilibre will be presenting Robert Rÿker supported by the Tokyo Sinfonia in a special leadership lecture-concert Sep.30 in Nexus Hall of the elegant Chanel Building in Ginza. Participation is limited to 80 persons. For more information, visit Equilibre.
The Tokyo Sinfonia and I are delighted to be engaged to present the lecture and musical selections illustrating principles of leadership. The announcement reads in part "A rare glimpse into the world of the Maestro: Following a welcome and introduction by Chanel Japan President Richard Collasse, Maestro Robert Ryker's leadership philosophy will be explored by Equilibre Executive Coach Philippe Grall, authority in drawing out the inner strategies of highly successful business people. ... The capacities of vision, passion, focus and communication which Maestro Rÿker advocates are as applicable to successful business and commerce as they are to the world of music."
See you at the Sinfonia!
:: COMING EVENTS ::
TOKYO SINFONIA IN NOVEMBER
SCANDINAVIAN SERENADE - Fri. 11月19日(金) 18:30
FCCJ dinner-concert, Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (Yurakucho)
Table tickets: Group ￥8,445 each; Single ￥9,335
4-concert subscription ￥33,000 includes VIP seating & benefits
Little Suite for Strings (Nielsen)
Concertstucke (Berwald)
Lemminkainen Legend (Sibelius)
Holberg Suite for Strings (Grieg)
3-course traditional Scandinavian dinner
TOKYO SINFONIA IN DECEMBER
SIBELIUS SERENADE - Fri. 年12月10日(金) 19:00
Symphonies for Strings champagne concert, Oji Hall (Ginza)
Tickets: Group ￥5,500 each; Single ￥6,000
4-concert subscription ￥20,000 includes VIP seating and benefits
Night Ride and Sunrise, Op. 55
Four Lemminkainen Legends, Op. 22
Symphony for Strings, from Op. 25, Op. 66 - first performance
Champagne reception
Platinum sponsor : Minato-ku
Platinum sponsor : Anonymous
Gold sponsor : Apagard
Tickets/Information
tickets@tokyosinfonia.com (03) 3588 0738