バイオリン公邸コンサート 2006年4月21日在ヒューストン日本国総領事 加茂佳彦
Ladies and gentlemen:
Welcome to a chamber music concert at my home. We enjoyed Japan Festival at HermanPark only two weeks ago. The excitement is still lingering. It is a perfect follow through for us to get together to enjoy a spring evening with western classical music, performed by three talented musicians.
I don’t want to spoil the good mood before the concert by making long remarks. But let me tell you this. This is going to be a very special concert. This is the first concert for the three musicians we have today and perhaps their last. They form a music trio of the violin, flute and piano only for this concert. The violinist, Sakae Nomura and the flutist, Masashi Yanagisawa come from Dallas in order to perform for us today. Moreover, Sakae will go back to Japan next week after her 3 years stay in Dallas.
Dr. Yanagisawa started to play flute when he was 12. His music teacher made him a typical ‘kuraota’, kurasikku otaku, western classical music freak. He frequented ‘meikyoku kissa(hide outs where you can enjoy both coffee and listening to classical music)’ , another great Japanese invention, I imagine. He continued his music training and played in chamber music groups and orchestras. He currently serves as a flutist attached to North Texas Baptist Church.
Kao Taniguchi began her piano training at 4. She continued her piano and won several junior competitions in Japan. She has been the finalist in Shepherd School Piano Concerto Competition and participated in Prague International Piano Festival. She is currently studying with Dr. Robert Roux at the Shepherd School of Music of RiceUniversity. She has black belt in Judo.
Mrs. Sakae Nomura and I came from the same town in Japan. Or should I say I was born into a town named after her family. She went to Vienna when she was 16. She studied and graduated from both Vienna’s NationalMusicAcademy and Vienna conservatoire of chamber music. She began to give concerts in Europe and Japan starting from 1995. Her music activities range from performing as soloist, playing with orchestras and chamber music groups and teaching.
I said that this is going to be a very special concert. This is the last project of my colleague Mika Sato, cultural director of the Japanese Consulate in Houston. She will also go back to Japan next week for good after eventful two years assignment here. She did a wonderful job and her work deserves recognition and a big hand. She will be replaced by Koki Yoshii. Best wishes for your new assignment.
Now I have the pleasure of calling upon our musicians come forward for performing a special spring concert. Please join me in welcoming the musicians.