A Joint Concert at Katzen Arts Center
May 18 Sunday, 2008 2:00pm 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Two choruses, two soloists, two pianists from Washington and Japan at The American University, KatzenArtsCenter
A very special evening and one time performance when The Japanese Choral Society of Washington and the Seiyuukai Chorus: Sakura come together from two sides of the world to celebrate music from Japan. Center stage will be the dynamically beautiful choral suite, “Life of Water” by Japan’s Saburo Takata.Solo performances by music directors Kimiko Shimada (soprano) and Kazuchika Tomokiyo (tenor).Pianists: Kaori Yamada and Sanae Ohtani
http://www.american.edu/cas/katzen/visiting.cfm
Map to AU　
Flier

The Japanese Choral Society of Washington will host a concert jointly with the Japanese choral group Seiyukai:Sakura from SaitamaPrefecture. Performers will total approximately 70.

When:May 18, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Where:AmericanUniversity, Katzen Concert Hall
Repertoire:“The　Soul of Water” suite, by composer Saburo Takata and lyricist Kikuo Takano

A variety of choral pieces separately by each choral group.
Vocal solos by Kimiko Shimada and by Kazuchika Tomokiyo

Japanese Choral Society of Washington:
The group was formed in the spring of 2001 under the directorship of opera singer Kimiko Shimada. It has been actively engaged in a wide variety of community services, such as performances at National Cherry Blossom Festival events, at retirement homes and international organizations, and at the Freer Gallery. The chorus was invited to sing on the KennedyCenter’s Millennium Stage in 2007, and will sing again at that venue on Friday, April 4, 2008.

Seiyukai:
In July 1971, this group was formed by its director, Kazuchika Tomokiyo, from a number of choral groups he had founded including the female vocal group Shiki. Since then he has been extremely active, both in Japan and abroad, in regularly scheduled performances with a variety of other choral groups. The name Sakura was adopted specifically for this year’s performances, which will include an appearance in Toronto, Canada prior to their visit to Washington.

Directors and Pianists:

Kazuchika Tomokiyo: graduated from opera studies at the Kunitachi College of Music. He subsequently studied at the Verdi Conservatory in Italy; and became a member of the Nikikai Opera Company in Japan. In 1979, in addition to having performed in a number of operas, he was elected to be a member of the Council for the Promotion of Opera. As the director of 7 choral groups, he led some to gold medal awards. In addition, he is frequently asked to serve as a judge at choral competitions.

Kimiko Shimada: graduated from the Music Department of Ochanomizu University, and later received her master’s degree in opera studies from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. She subsequently studied at the Verdi Conservatory in Italy, and became a member of the Nikikai Opera Company and of the Friday Morning Music Club in Washington. She has performed at concert halls in Japan and the United States, such as Suntory Hall and the KennedyCenter; and one of her performances of Japan’s national anthem has been broadcast on CNN’s Headline News.

Kaori Yamada: graduated from the TohoGakuenSchool of music, majoring in piano. She also completed the “Ensemble Diploma Course” at the same university, during which time she received special instruction about piano accompaniment from the late Saburo Takata.. Her professional career as a pianist has been exclusively for Mr. Kazuchika Tomokiyo’s choral groups. Since 2006, having accompanied her husband to live in the United States, she has been playing in support of Ms. Shimada’s choral groups.

Sanae Ohtani: graduated from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, majoring in voice studies. She additionally studied under Mr. Kazuchika Tomokiyo and Ms Sadako Mine. At present she is a lecturer at the TomokiyoMusicSchool and Assistant Director of the the Ageo Boys and Girls Choral Group from SaitamaPrefecture.