Last Sunday, Chorus Group Sakura joined Mr. Toda’s fundraising piano solo concert. The concert was held at First Unitarian Universalist Church, which has a beautiful chapel that offered the perfect sound for our performance.
As a singer in the choir, one of the great joys for me during this concert was getting to watch other incredible musicians perform. Piano solo performance by Mr. Toda and piano duo by Mr. Toda /Mrs. Hakone were absolutely wonderful as we expected. Mr. Said Pressley’s voice was so powerful and beautiful, touching our heart deeply.
It’s a great pleasure to hear complement from many friends and families toward our performance. It really means a lot to us. We hope that our performance inspired the audience to enjoy beautiful Japanese songs and to share the thoughts for people who are getting through the earthquake-tsunami disaster through the song “Hana-wa-saku(Flowers will bloom)”which was produced to build public support for their recovery effort.
< Program >
Piano: Teruhiko Toda
1. Sakura Sakura
2. Intermezzo from Parsifal Baritone: Saïd Pressley
Piano : Teruhiko Toda
3. Avant de quitter ces lieux from “Faust”
4. Madamina, il Catalogo e questo from “Don Giovanni”
5. Hear Me, Oh Lord from “Susannah”
Piano Duo
Piano 1 : Chiharu Hakone, Piano 2 : Teruhiko Toda
6. Love’s Greeting
7. Libertango
Japanese Songs: Houston Choir Group “Sakura”
Conducted by Teruhiko Toda
Piano : Chiharu Hakone
8. 早春賦 (Ode to Early Spring)
9. 花 (Flowers)
10. 荒城の月 (Moon Over the Ruined Castle)
11. 浜辺の歌 (A Song at the Seaside)
12. 花は咲く (Flowers will bloom)
Today is “Risshun”- the first day of spring in the traditional Japanese lunar calendar.
Wind is still cold – but spring is approaching slowly and surely!
“Ode to Early Spring(早春賦)”,which we are practicing for coming performance right now describes the feeling that we may have in this season.
Ode to Early Spring
Translated by Caroline E. Kano
The spring is but a name in the chill of the wind,
The bush warbler in the valley, though longing to sing,
Finds still it is too soon to trill his song,
Finds still it is too soon to trill his song.
The pond ice thaws, and reeds begin to sprout,
“Oh, spring has come at last,” I rejoice, yet, alas!
Today, as yesterday, the sky is filled with snow,
Today, as yesterday, the sky is filled with snow.
If I had not heard ’twas spring, I would not know,
Yet now I’ve heard, my heart impatiently takes flight!
Oh, how should I bide this wondrous time?
Oh, how should I bide this wondrous time?
O Lex Dictionary: 「連載 続・日本の歌」より
http://olex.sakura.ne.jp/blog/category/o-lex-blog/serial/
去る５月２３日、Exxon Mobilのインターナショナルイベントにご招待いただき、パフォーマンスを行いました。大きなカンファレンスルームに設置された中央舞台にて、コーラス桜のメンバーは浴衣に身を包み、日本の伝統的な歌、「荒城の月」「花」「浜辺の歌」を演奏しました。
５月８日（日）、昨年に引き続き、今年も台湾寺院での母の日のお祭りのイベントにご招待いただき、パフォーマンスを行いました。
3月6日、Museum DistrictにあるFirst Unitarian Universalist Churchで行われた戸田先生のピアノコンサートにて、コーラス桜も歌わせていただきました。
メンバーのみなさん、GOOD JOBでした！多くの方が浴衣を着て参加して、まるで花が咲いたような合唱隊になりました。大成功のコンサートに終わりましたね。次回もまた皆様に素敵な歌声をお届けできるよう、ますます頑張ってまいりましょう！
2月16日（火）に、ヒューストン日本総領事公邸にて開催された生け花インターナショナルヒューストン支部の総会にお招きいただき、皆様の前で日本の歌を披露させていただきました。
