May. 29, 2015
Toyota Lobby Concert Raises Funds for Japan's Tohoku Region;
Gives Back to Local Community
Toyota City, Japan, May 29, 2015―As part of ongoing fundraising efforts for the Tohoku region, Toyota will bring summer festivities to its doors through its 39th Lobby Concert on July 30. Three performing acts will convey the vitality of Japanese cultural tradition with a seasonal twist.
A long-time resident of Bunkyo Ward in Tokyo, Toyota regularly holds concerts in the first-floor lobby of its Tokyo Head Office in an effort to give back to the local community for its support over the years. Nearby residents, particularly people in nursing homes, will be treated by Toyota to some quality live music. These concerts are organized by volunteers from Toyota, with the assistance of the local community, and the series has attracted a total audience of 14,000 over the past 20 years.
The theme of this year's concert is summer festivals, and Toyota will welcome Bonten, a Japanese drumming troupe known for young and energetic female drummers; Masaki Nakamura, a shakuhachi bamboo flute player who is always looking to further expand the boundaries of his art and pursue the local roots of his music; and percussionist Sayaka Nojiri, who is ever venturing into new musical territories. All will perform with the goal of assisting the recovery of the Tohoku region, an area that abounds in timeless traditional arts born from the area's rich cultural heritage and respect for the natural environment.
At the concert, flyers of festivals to be held in the disaster-affected areas of Tohoku will be distributed and posters displayed to raise awareness of Tohoku's vibrant performing arts scene, along with the sale of genuine Tohoku-made specialty crafts.
Toyota will provide a total of 330 complimentary tickets to residents of nursing-care facilities located near its Tokyo Head Office, as well as to the general public. Those wishing to attend are requested to apply according to the procedure indicated below. Tickets will be posted to successful applicants around July 16.
Overview of 39th Toyota Lobby Concert
| Theme |
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|---|---|
| Date | July 30, 2015 |
| Time | 18:30 to 20:00 (venue opens at 18:00) |
| Venue | 1st floor lobby, Toyota Motor Corporation Tokyo Head Office, 1-4-18 Koraku, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo |
| Performers |
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| Host | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| Assistance | Tokyo Voluntary Action Center, Bunkyo Voluntary Action Center and NPO Echo |
| Planning and production support | MINFAPLAN, Japan Folk Performing Arts Association |
| Tickets |
To apply online, fill out the application at http://www.toyota.co.jp/lobby_concert/
(English not available) To apply by mail, send a postcard with your name, address, age, telephone number, email address, and the number of tickets desired (up to two per attendee) to:
Corporate Citizenship Div. (Toyota Lobby Concert) Toyota Motor Corporation 1-4-18 Koraku, Bunkyo-ku, 112-8701 Applications close on July 9 (postcards must arrive on or before this date).
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Performer Profiles
- BontenJapanese Drum Troupe
- Bonten are a Japanese drumming troupe formed by Masataka Kobayashi in 1999 from members of the Mirai Taiko Dojo, the institution Kobayashi founded to promote traditional Japanese drumming. In August of 2000, the group held their debut performance at Daikyosai festival in Takanosumachi, Akita Prefecture. Their pursuit of complete mastery over traditional Japanese drumming has not prevented them from incorporating Japanese flute, koto, piano, or other instruments into their performances, resulting in highly original compositions with a strong sense of musicality. The troupe's stage performances stand out by merit of a power of expression unfettered by convention; especially as the taiko genre is dominated by groups that started out in folk music. The unique stage presentation Bonten offer has attracted the media attention. Meanwhile, the troupe have gone out of their way to hold joint performances with artists in widely different fields such as popular music, classical music, reggae, folk music, dance, and drama. They have participated in live shows and recordings with Ayumi Hamasaki, performed with reggae superstars Sly and Robbie while on tour in Jamaica, and participated in the opening event of Expo 2005 produced by Kansai Yamamoto. The breadth of their activities is only expanding, though a busy schedule has not interfered with their teaching at the Mirai Taiko Dojo, of which the various branches now amount to about 450 members, where anyone who wishes can drum away to his or her heart's content.
- Sayaka NojiriPercussionist
- After graduating from Musashino Academia Musicae where she was enrolled as a scholarship student, Sayaka Nojiri traveled widely both in Japan and overseas―in the U.S. and Australia―to gain valuable musical experience. She has received numerous awards, including the Grand Prix and Iwaki prize in the Japan Percussion Association's 2007 newcomer competition, as well as the Matsugata Hall Music Award. She has also participated in a plethora of music festivals. In 2007, she started holding her own recitals and her concerts entitled "Listen, See, Feel" have won wide acclaim. She has appeared in a wide variety of shows, a majority of which have been solo events. At these, she has presented her compositions and arrangements, performed collaborations, sung to her own accompaniment, and debuted new compositions. As a registered artist of the Japan Foundation for Regional Art Activities, she takes part in music events all over Japan. Fontec has released three CDs of her work: My Percussion World (awarded a prize for superior recording in 2009), Marimba Classics―Warmth of the Xylophone―(awarded a prize for best recording in 2011), and Luna―Crossover Vibraphone (released September 2014). Even the renowned conductor Ray E. Cramer has commented on her flair for building up versatile soundscapes, praising her superlative technique, creativity, and musical sense.
- Masaki NakamuraShakuhachi
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A native of Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture, Masaki Nakamura became infatuated with the shakuhachi when he first came across the instrument at the age of 17. At Tokyo University of the Arts, he studied shakuhachi in the Department of Traditional Japanese Music. He went on to win the 6th Shakuhachi Newcomer Competition, the 3rd Tokyo Hogaku Competition, and the 2nd Western and Japanese Instrument Ensemble Competition. He went on to win the Yomiuri Newspaper Award, the Japanese Minyo Association Award, and many more prizes. Since graduating, he has been welcomed as a guest performer at prestigious venues like Suntory Hall, Ryogoku Kokugikan, and the American Embassy in Japan. He has also collaborated with major Japanese musicians and artists such as: Takashi Yamaguchi, Dozan Fujiwara, Hiromitsu Agatsuma, Ikuko Kawai, the Lime Green Orchestra, Jinpei Washiro, Fuyumi Sakamoto, and Sisyu. Masaki even participated in the theme song to SQUARE ENIX's "Sengoku IXA." In addition, he has appeared in numerous television and radio programs such as: NHK's "Konnichiwa Itto 6ken ―Jinsei 'Watashi' ryu―", NHK-FM's "Hogakuno hitotoki" and "Hogaku no hitotoki", TBS' "Hamaru tsubogaku" and "Otobutai", TV Tokyo's "Mokuyo 8ji no konsa-to", and TV Asahi's "Kanjani no shiwake". His teachers so far have included Kohachiro Miyata and Junsuke Kawase and in addition to all of the above, he is a member of the Jodoshu Artists Association.
The ease with which Masaki manages to traverse different music genres while staying true to the sound of the shakuhachi never fails to impress. To date, he has released 10 albums and participated in another 30 or so more. Masaki's accomplishments are not limited to Japan, however. He has spread the influence of traditional Japanese music to a more global audience by touring in Turkey, Algeria, Kenya, Malawi, China, and the U.S.
Downloads (Images)
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- Bonten
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- Sayaka Nojiri
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- Masaki Nakamura
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