Event: Memorial Concert For Japan Earthquake And Tsunami

A message of hope and of friendship between Britain and Japan!

To mark the fourth anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan on 11^th March 2011, a concert performed by the Hokusai Orchestra, with conductor Akiko Ohtomo-Smith at the helm, and singer Naomi Suzuki was held on 5^th March in the Attlee Suite of the Houses of Parliament hosted by the

Interview: Yoshiki – Rock Star And Co-Founder Of X Japan

“My philosophy is anything is possible, nothing can stop me!” – Yoshiki

Born on 20th November 1965, the immensely talented classically trained musician Yoshiki is one of Japan’s most formidable superstars. In 1982 he co-founded the visual kei pioneering super rock group X Japan (originally called X) who have sold 30 million records and have played sell-out tours all across the world, including the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome an incredible record-breaking 18 times. As a soloist

The Grammy Museum Unveils X Japan Founder Member Yoshiki Exhibit And World Tour Announced

Opening night hosted by comic book legend Stan Lee!

On February 19th, the GRAMMY Museum unveiled their Yoshiki exhibit which puts the influential rock icon’s signature crystal piano, flamboyant wardrobes, and other items on display. The exhibition explores Yoshiki’s fascinating career and follows the museum’s unique collection on Ringo Starr. Yoshiki is the first Asian artist to be honored with an

Beyond the Horizon – A Classical Journey Where East Meets West

Bringing the ancient arts of Japan, Europe and the New World to the new generation!

Date: Tuesday 7 January 2014

Time: 7.30pm – 9.30pm

Venue: St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4JJ

Tickets: £20, £16, £13

Come and join an ensemble of performing artists for a journey of aspiration celebrating

East Meets West – The Marriage Of German Ballerina Hedi Wekel and Japanese Cellist Yukichi Koh

Hedi Koh (born Hedwig Wekel) (1909 – 2012)

Hedi Koh who had died aged 103 was born on the 20^th February 1909 as Hedwig Wekel in Leipzig. She was a highly talented ballerina, nearly 19 years old, at the Leipzig opera when she met Yukichi Koh. He was the first Japanese man she had ever seen and she was surprised at this good looking, beautiful man. Till then she had only known Japanese faces from Japanese Ukiyo e, woodcut prints and had formed some strange perceptions about the appearance of Japanese people, expecting them to be yellow skinned and

FREE London Concert By Hokusai Chamber Orchestra

Conducted by Akiko Ohtomo!

On Monday, 10th September 2012 the Hokusai Chamber Orchestra will give a free lunchtime concert at St. Martins in the Fields in London. The performance starts at 13.00 and will last approximately 45 minutes. Latecomers will be admitted to the church when there is a suitable break in the programme. A collection is taken at the end of the concert which goes towards the work of

Music Review: Chisato Kusunoki “Piano”

Kusunoki’s playing is like the touch of silk!

Piano is an astute collected works by Russian composers Sergei Rachmaninoff, Nikolai Medtner, Alexander Scriabin and Sergei Liapunov splendidly performed by German-born pianist Chisato Kusunoki.

The brilliant musician and scholar started playing her preferred instrument when she was just five years old. She was a natural student who has developed into a