<<Back Page Next Page>>   A, Lively, Enjoyable Music Festival For the first time, last year’s “Days of Enthusiasm” music festival was held in Tokyo. People at the festival were in an excited, festive mood. The feeling of excitement reached the performers, so that some kind of synergistic effect was created at the festival. Such an effect does not exist at standard classical music concerts. I totally enjoyed the festival. For performers, the festival was a good opportunity for engaging in informational exchanges, as it is rare that such a number of performers gather in one place for such a short period. For standard classical music concerts, a concert hall is always excessively silent. In contrast, “Days of Enthusiasm” had a relaxed atmosphere, yet making people feel that something exciting was going to happen. No one was tense, and performances consisted of brief concerts, so all the halls were filled with people in lively, festive moods. For this festival, I would like to advise women to avoid high-heeled shoes because you will do a lot of walking to get from one hall to another for the various concerts. Also, men wearing neckties may feel uncomfortable, for you will feel too hot in a tie after a lot of walking. You do not have to go to this festival wearing formal clothes just because this is a classical concert. Just relax and come to the festival to immerse yourself in Mozart’s music. You can enjoy the free concerts and the delicious foods served at stalls. That the food tastes good is important. With this tasty food, the festival may become even more appealing. Mozart - the Celestial Music Beethoven, the theme of last year’s festival, requires audiences to listen to music with 100% concentration. You cannot listen casually to Beethoven’s music. For Mozart, this year’s theme, however, you will be able to hear his music with a relaxed, comfortable feeling. This is one of the reasons that Mozart is loved by many people. Critic Hideo Kobayashi describes "Mozart sprints at full tilt when expressing sorrow, outrunning tears.” Mozart’s greatness is the ambiguity that joy, sorrow, and despair are concurrently present in one musical piece. Not one feeling or another is present. Mozart’s music is celestial beauty because it is the absence of absolutes, and the absence accepts conflicting kinds of emotions. Mozart accepts you at any time, whatever kind of emotional state you are in, and gives what you need only when you need it. Mozart’s music has a magical power. People say that alcohol tastes better and plants grow better if they hear Mozart. During the period of “Days of Enthusiasm” music festival, the souls of people around the Tokyo International Forum and Marunouchi areas will be purified. I Want Children to Hear Mozart Listening to Mozart’s music with a cup of tea at an outdoor cafe along Marunouchi Naka-dori is an ideal way to spend your time. If the weather is fine, the outdoor music will sooth your soul and restore your body. Some concerts for this festival are available for infants. As Mozart is said to be effective antenatal training, his music will be good for babies, too. Also, there are some workshops for children. Classical music expresses an important universal part of human beings. We hear a variety of musical essences that are important for human life. I often hold concerts for children. From such activities, I have learned that children absorb anything without bias. Especially during the period from three years to kindergartener, children have great flexibility, and actually, great concentration, too. If children have one or two chances to listen to live piano performances during this early period, the seeds for loving classical music will be planted, and they may be classical music lovers when they grow up. Such musical innovation would never progress without the active involvement of performers. For performers, pursuing only their personal interests is not enough. We need to get as many people as possible to listen to our music. To achieve this, efforts and activities are necessary. Great Opportunity to Contrast One Performance with The Others For example, the performance of Beethoven’s “Moonlight” sonata depends on concerts, even by the same performer. This piece of music will be performed differently by different musicians. Recognizing differences between musicians makes classical music all the more interesting. A variety of artists have been performing the same musical pieces for 250 years, all over the world. The question is why. Because artists perform the pieces in their own ways. Some people say that it is interesting to understand jazz performers’ characters through their improvisation while classical music performers always play the same piece of music. Classical music, however, surprisingly changes, depending on the musicians even if the musical score is the same. In fact, you will better understand the differences among performance because the same piece of music is performed. The “Days of Enthusiasm” music festival is short performances. Such performances enable people to go to a number of concerts, from one to another. You will have a great opportunity to contrast one performance with others. You will appreciate the difference, and classical music will become appealing to you! Ikuyo Nakamichi As a freshman at Toho Gakuen, she took both the first prize and the coveted Masuzawa Prize at the 51st Annual Japan Music Competition. As a result of the prices, she received much public attention. Following the attention and after various other prizes in Japan and overseas, Ms. Nakamichi began a full schedule of performances in Europe and Japan. With a broad repertoire from classical to romantic, Ms. Nakamichi has performed with Japan's leading orchestras. She has won high praise for solo performances with Bavarian Radio and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras under Lorin Maazel, the English Chamber Orchestra under Pinchas Zukerman, and other performances. She is appreciated for her artistic technique. Ms. Nakamichi holds recitals in a number of places. Since 1998, she has been doing the “Complete Beethoven Sonatas Concerts”; the 2nd cycle is being held now. Through these activities, she has gained a reputation for her sincere performances and artistic techniques. From 2002, Ms. Nakamichi has been not only holding recitals, but she has also been doing programs based on her various ideas such as “Gomen! Asobase Classics” and “Poems for Animals with Piano and Slides -Hikari no Kodomotachi (Children of Light).” The appealing contents of her programs and her deep sense humanity have resulted in increasing popularity. Her “20th anniversary recital” will be held November 5, 2006 at Kioi Hall and other halls. For her recordings, Ms. Nakamichi has an exclusive contract with BMG fanhouse. She has released many CDs, including one that was an unprecedented hit for classical music. The CD was mentioned in the Japanese magazine “Record Geijutsu” (“Art of Records”) as a “Highly Recommended Disc.” Ikuyo Nakamichi Official Website: http://www.ikuyo-nakamichi.com/ Ticket Information Many Sold Out Tickets! Please hurry!! ･Special Box Office in the Tokyo International Forum (Counter Sales Only) ･Electronic Ticket PIA  (Telephone booking) 0570-02-9990 (for classic music only/ operator)  (Internet booking) http:/t./pia.co.jp/LFJ2006/  (On Store) Seven Eleven (by the end of April), FamilyMart, Circle K Sunkus, Ticket Pia Store ･e+(e-plus) & Kajimoto E-plus  (Telephone booking) 03-5749-9984 (for this music festival only / operator)  (Internet booking) http://eplus.jp/lfj/ ･Lawson Ticket  (Telephone booking) 0570-000-407 (for classic music only/ operator)  (Internet booking)   Lawson ticket: http://www2.lawsonticket.com/   Rakuten ticket: http://ticket.rakuten.co.jp/  (On Store) Lawson ･CN playguide (ticket agency) * No handling of tickets for children’s seats.  (Telephone booking) 0570-08-9990 (operator)  (Internet booking) http://www.cnplayguide.com/  (On Store) ampm and SAVE-ON, (* JR East View Plaza: for picking up of booked tickets only) ･JTB Entertainment (ticket agency) * Handling tickets for specific performances of LFJ only.  (Telephone booking) 03-3865-5489  (Internet booking) http://www.jtb.co.jp/ticket/  (On Store) JTB, JTB Traveland, and JTB affiliated agency ･JR East * Handling tickets for LFJ performances held at Hall A of LFJ only. (Counter Sales Only)  (On Store) JR East View Plaza and Midori-no-Madoguchi “Discount tickets for children”for children aged 3 years old to elementary school age. The cost is 300 yen below standard ticket prices. Babies aged 2 years and under can enter the first concerts to be performed at Hall A and C during the period from 5/4 Thu to 5/6 Sat. In this case, 1 baby can enter free of charge together with a guardian of more than 18 years old (but babies must be on the lap of their guardians). Concerts starting after 18:30 do not permit preschoolers. Wheelchair seats will be on sale at the Special Box Office in the Tokyo International Forum. Please note a part of the concerts (performers and numbers, etc.) may be changed. For the latest information, see website of TIF.