ITOCHU Announces ITOCHU Children's Dreams Fund Support Project for Disaster-Affected Areas: TMSO (Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra) x ITOCHU Class Concert 2016 at Schools in Fukushima Prefecture
January 7, 2016
ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Masahiro Okafuji, President & CEO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) announced today that it will collaborate with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra (headquartered in Taito-ku, Tokyo; Seiichi Kondo, President; hereinafter “TMSO”) in holding the TMSO x ITOCHU Class Concert 2016 through the ITOCHU Children’s Dreams Fund.
The concert has been held since 2014 to support the children of Tohoku through music, as part of the ITOCHU Children’s Dreams Fund that supports the dreams of children in the disaster-affected area. For this second event, TMSO will visit junior high schools in Kawauchi-mura and Hirono-machi in Fukushima Prefecture which are located within 30 kilometers from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, as well as two prefectural special needs education schools in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. There, TMSO members will perform, in lecture format with commentary, accessible famous songs such as classical and jazz pieces, as well as performing choral pieces such as “Believe” together with children and students for each school using musical instruments and choir. It is also planned to offer junior high school students hands-on sessions with the violin.
ITOCHU will continue to provide support for reconstruction of the area affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in the future, through the Children’s Dreams Fund and many other activities.
Overview
Schedule and schools to be visited | Wednesday, January 20 Iwaki Special Needs Education School (AM), Sonritsu Kawauchi Junior High School (PM) Thursday, January 21, 2016 Taira Special Needs Education School (AM), Hirono Municipal Junior High School (PM) |
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Performance | String quartet of TMSO members Violins: SHIODA Shu, MIHARA Hisao; Viola: MURATA Keiko; Violoncello: MORIYAMA Ryosuke |
Program | Mozart: Divertimento, K.138, 1st movement Mozart: String Quartet No. 14, K.387, 1st movement Kreisler: Liebesleid; Folk song: Yagi Bushi; Joplin: The Entertainer, etc. Entire chorus: “Believe”: Iwaki Special Needs Education School, Kawauchi Junior High School, Taira Special Needs Education School; “Taisetsuna mono (the important thing)”: Hirono Junior High School, “Heiyo Cheering Song” (Taira Special Needs Education School, lyrics written by Taira Special Needs Education School children and students, music composed by teacher) |
Sponsor | Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra |
Collaboration | ITOCHU Corporation |
Cooperation | SEA WAVE FM Iwaki |
TMSO x ITOCHU – Reconstruction assistance projects to date
15th Joint Concert
Date: Saturday, July 27, 2013 Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
Fourteen junior and senior high school students from areas in Fukushima Prefecture that suffered extensive damage in the Great East Japan Earthquake were invited to Tokyo. The children took part in section rehearsals and ensemble rehearsals together with children from Tokyo in accordance with the instruction program of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. The lessons were held for two months, and culminated in a joint recital with TMSO in the Large Hall of Tokyo Bunka Kaikan.
TMSO × ITOCHU Class Concert
Dates | Tuesday, January 27 and Wednesday, January 28, 2015 |
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Schools visited | Naraha Municipal Kita Elementary School / Minami Elementary School, Naraha Municipal Junior High School (27th) Hirono Municipal Elementary School, Hirono Municipal Junior High School (28th) |
Performance | String Quartet by members of TMSO |
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About the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
Founded by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 1965 as part of a cultural promotion project to mark the Tokyo Olympic Games. In 2015, TMSO’s 50th anniversary year, Kazushi Ono assumed the position of Music Director. In addition to its subscription concerts, the orchestra is involved in a variety of activities such as school concerts and outreach programs. As the “Music Ambassador of Capital Tokyo,” TMSO received much acclaim when it toured Europe in November last year to commemorate its 50th anniversary (5 countries, 6 cities). Abbreviated name: TMSO; Website: http://www.tmso.or.jp/index_e.php
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Accomplishments of ITOCHU Children’s Dreams Fund to date
- March 2013
- Donated funds to Takata Higashi Junior High School in Rikuzentakata City to cover expenses for sports uniforms, and tournament participation fees for all youth baseball teams in Rikuzentakata City.
- October 2013; May, September 2014; May, September 2015
- Organized the ITOCHU Children’s Dream Cup boys’ baseball tournament in Rikuzentakata City (5 tournaments). It is planned to continue to organize this tournament in the future.
- March 2014
- Donated funds to Iwate Prefectural Yamada High School boat club to cover the cost of lifeboats, and donated sports uniforms and other items to Sendai Municipal Nakano Elementary School for the Nakano Volleyball Junior Sports Club and the Boys’ Baseball Team.
- August 2014, August 2015
- Organized the ITOCHU Children’s Dreams English Summer Camp in Rikuzentakata (first and second camp). It is planned to continue to organize this camp in the future.