Duo Recital with Takehiro Shinohara and Kyoko Asaka
On July 9 (Sun), the Yamaoka Memorial Foundation presented the “Duo Recital with Takehiro Shinahara and Kyoko Asaka - A Journey through European Masterpieces” in front of 122 listeners.
The purpose of this project is to familiarize the audience, and especially children who will be the leaders of the next generation, with classical music through a performance of the highest quality paired with an easy-to-understand commentary to let them experience its beauty and depth. The concert featured music by great European composers such as Brahms, Behrmann, and Mendelssohn, and was enjoyed by people of all ages, from children to the elderly, including some who were not well versed in music.
Nagahama City Mayor Asami also attended the event and introduced Yanmar and the Yamaoka Memorial Foundation, and he spoke about the sister city relationship between Nagahama City and Augsburg, Germany.
The beautiful harmonies created by the piano and clarinet made some of the audience sway slowly and surrender to the music while enjoying the pieces. A wide range of music was performed, from gentle and relaxed pieces to powerful and cheerful pieces, making the event a wonderful experience that one would want to go on forever.
The presenter told episodes from the composers’ lives and introduced the history of the music in an easy-to-understand manner, giving the audience an opportunity to enjoy the concert even more deeply.
As an encore, a rare piece was performed in which the parts of the clarinet are removed one by one, and as the instrument itself becomes shorter and shorter, the tone of the clarinet changes to a higher pitch. The audience was riveted and amazed that the instrument's mechanism was being introduced while it was being played.
For the children, it was an opportunity to become more familiar with an instrument they had never played before.
When the encore piece was over, the audience was left with a feeling of regret that such a wonderful time had ended. At the end of the performance, lively applause echoed through the venue.
In the audience questionnaire, we received comments such as, “Listening to this wonderful performance was a good learning experience to have before the wind ensemble competition in the summer,” and “I feel enriched by the live performance.”
In addition, when asked if they would like to see this type of concert held again next year, most respondents said yes, and many expressed a desire to see this type of concert continue every year.
Duo Recital with Takehiro Shinahara and Kyoko Asaka - A Journey through European Masterpieces
Date & Time: July 9, 2023 (Sun), Start: 2 pm (Admission from 1:30 pm)
Venue: Yanmar Museum
Musicians: Takehiro Shinahara (Clarinet)
Kyoko Asaka (Piano)
Program:
Part 1
Pierné: Canzonetta Op.19
Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 5
Behrman: Adagio
Dvořák: Humoresque
Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances
Part 2
Mendelssohn: Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op.15
Danzi: Fantasy on ‘Là ci darem la mano’ from Mozart's opera “Don Giovanni”