“When the earthquake hit Japan, its leading orchestra was preparing to fly to North America for a tour that makes a stop in Montreal Friday,” writes Wah Keung Chan in Thursday’s (3/17) Gazette (Montreal). “‘We were not sure if we were going to be able to make our trip to America,” says Naoki Nojima, the NHK Orchestra’s chairman, in the article. “Most of us have had to leave our families behind. However, at the end, we decided to come because we believe music can uplift the heart and strengthen the spirit.’ … The orchestra will play at Place des Arts on Friday, with the audience being invited to donate for Japan at intermission. Place des Arts officials stopped short of making a full fundraiser out of the concert, which will include the orchestra’s principal guest conductor, 82-year-old André Previn, and 67-year-old soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, who herself is mourning for last month’s New Zealand earthquake. … Representatives of the Red Cross will be on site to take donations.… On Monday, the orchestra plays at Carnegie Hall in Seiji Ozawa’s JapanNYC festival. Carnegie has also decided not to directly turn the festival events into fundraisers for Japan, though its website has links to the American Red Cross and Doctors without Borders.” Carnegie Hall has announced that there will be a moment of silence held before the concerts by the NHK Symphony on Monday and the Bach Collegium Japan on Tuesday. With its partner organizations, Carnegie Hall has now dedicated the entire JapanNYC festival to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami.
An article in Thursday’s (3/17) Augusta Chronicle (Georgia) has announced that Georgia’s Symphony Orchestra Augusta will present a free benefit concert for victims of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami on March 27. Representatives of the American Red Cross will be present to collect donations for survivors of the earthquake at the March 27 concert as well as at the orchestra’s March 18 pops concert and March 25 and 25 performances of Mahler’s “Titan” Symphony.
Pictured in photo: Symphony Orchestra Augusta Music Director Shizuo Z Kuwahara, who will lead a free benefit concert benefiting victims of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami.
Posted March 17, 2011
