ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Masahiro Okafuji, President & CEO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) announced today that it will make a donation to the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra (located in Taito-ku, Tokyo; Iwao Toriumi, Representative; hereinafter the “Orchestra”) and participate in the Joint Concert to be given by the Orchestra as the second phase of support for the Tohoku areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, following on from ITOCHU Children’s Dreams Fund established this March.

This initiative is based on the response to humanitarian issues and the development of future generations specified by ITOCHU in its basic activity guidelines on social contribution. As part of its reconstruction support activities to help those areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, ITOCHU proposed to use part of the donation to invite performers from the public, in particular junior high and high school students (14 students) who live in Fukushima. This is aimed at providing an opportunity for both children from the affected area and those from Tokyo to play the same pieces of music together and enjoy interaction (experiencing fun and inspiration) with each other.

Outline:
The Joint Concert is part of the Orchestra’s activities to promote education. Once a year during the summer vacation, children from the fourth grade of elementary school to high school who live or study in Tokyo are encouraged to apply a general audition. Around 100 applicants are selected through screening based on the documents, then participate in a lesson program consisting of five lessons. These youth create a dream stage together with the professional orchestra. This is the commemorative 15th year of the activity and the concert is scheduled to be held on Saturday, July 27 at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. For the Orchestra as well, this concert will be the first opportunity to collaborate with a company.

• http://www.tmso.or.jp/j/special/joint/