Nobuyuki Tsujii in Europe, Spring 2012
<<Nobuyuki Tsujii returned to Europe in May of 2012, where he triumphantly performed Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No 3 and Chopin's Piano Concerto no. 1 in Switzerland, Poland and England. See Nobuyuki Tsujii in Europe, May 2012>>
In March of 2012, Nobuyuki Tsujii traveled to Europe, which took him to England, France Germany, and Austria. It was a great success, each of his performances receiving praises and earning him new fans. I have collected the articles, comments, etc. on a series of pages -- so many that it took four cluttered page to record! In Austria especially, Tsujii-san was warmly welcome and by all accounts, he left quite an impression there.
Nobu will return to Europe in May, and I will be there to catch his performances with Conductor Vladirmir Ashkenazy and the Philharmonia -- stay tuned!
March 11 UNESCO Concert
The concert was headlined by Yutaka Sado and many other performers participated, including Japan's Super Kids Orchestra.
Nobu put in a brief but enthusiastic performance, which was streamed live. News report here: http://news.qwe.jp/mnewsplus/1331521179 (photo source)
Video here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/21039048
This photo appeared in numerous articles, including this one:
Disaster anniversary concert in Paris
Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii (C) is applauded by the audience after his performance with Japanese conductor Yutaka Sado (far R) and the orchestra in a concert at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris, which was held on March 11, 2012, the first anniversary of the massive earthquake and tsunami, to offer condolences to the disaster victims and encourage those affected by it.
http://www.houseofjapan.com/local/disaster-anniversary-concert-in-paris
"(AP) Paris -- Enthusiastic performance of Mr. Sado and Mr Tsujii and colleagues ... at the headquarters (UNESCO) ... Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii et al.... enthusiastically showcase the pianist ... drew enthusiastic applause from the audience" http://www.niigata-nippo.co.jp/world/main/2012031201001201.html Rough English translation http://bit.ly/ykLmBf
NHK footage of the Paris concert - with some nice close-up shots of Yutaka Sado and Nobuyuki Tsujii http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20120312/k10013646231000.html (this link no longer works.)
Fuji News footage: http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/videonews/fnn?a=20120312-00000009-fnn-int
Ann news http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NILmjcaZ3FU
TBS (JNN) http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/videonews/jnn?a=20120312-00000050-jnn-int
japonaide.org report: http://japonaide.org/2012/02/yutaka-sado-en-concert-a-lunesco-ja/
On March 14, A tweet was posted from U/S. Ambassador Roos in Tokyo: "Nobuyuki Tsujii just played at the concert in Paris to support Tohoku. He played at our residence last May. http://goo.gl/aPSzN"
ピアニストの辻井伸行さんは、東北支援のためにパリのチャリティーコンサートで演奏しました。彼は去年の5月に大使公邸でも演奏してくれました
https://twitter.com/#!/AmbassadorRoos/statuses/180157645355876352
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Concerts, memorial events held to mark 1st disaster anniv. (The Mainichi Daily News, 3/12/2012)
...
In Paris, prominent conductor Yutaka Sado and budding pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii performed at a concert at the headquarters of UNESCO to offer condolences to the disaster victims and encourage those affected by it.
Sado conducted Bach's "Air on the G String" played by a student orchestra from Hyogo Prefecture, which was hit by the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake. He introduced the Super Kids Orchestra as a symbol of cultural revival from a disaster.
Tsujii, meanwhile, played Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 in front of an audience of around 1,300.
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/arts/news/20120312p2g00m0et149000c.html
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Kyodo News http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2012/03/146549.htm
Concerts, memorial events held to mark 1st disaster anniv.
TOKYO, March 12, Kyodo
Charity concerts performed by prominent musicians and other memorial events were held Sunday around the world to mark the first anniversary of the massive earthquake, tsunami and ensuing nuclear disaster that devastated northeastern Japan.
(then same paragraph as above)
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Sample tweets:
スーパーキッズ＆辻井伸行さん、まさに天使！！！！！「:ショパン：ピアノ協奏曲第1番ホ短調 Op.11 より 第2楽章：ロマンス：ラルゲット Super Kids & Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii, a real angel! ! ! ! ! Romance: larghetto Op.11 in E minor, 2nd movement from CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 1
From America -It was beautiful! - hat off to Japan!
美しい音のつぶがちりばめられた、辻井伸行さんのショパンピアノ協奏曲第1番第2楽章 Grains studded with beautiful sound, the second movement of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 Nobuyuki Tsujii's
スーパーキッズも辻井伸行くんもブラボーブラボー！どうしてこんなにキラキラした音の粒を出せるのかと思う(*´ω｀)究極の癒やし Bravo Bravo Nobuyuki Tsujii kun Super Kids also! Ultimate healing (* 'ω `) Who can think or a grain of sound can shine so bright?
辻井伸行さんの音色は優しくて温かくて豊かやなぁ。。。 Nobuyuki Tsujii's tone is rich and warm and gentle
佐渡裕＆辻井伸行をリアルタイムで聴けるって幸せヽ(*´∀｀)ノボレロ始まるけど、明日が辛い What happiness to listen in real time Nobuyuki Tsujii & Yutaka Sado; tomorrow will be painful
昨日のユネスコでのコンサート、佐渡裕・阿部加奈子の両指揮者、ハードスケジュールの中素晴らしい音楽を届けてくれたSKO、ピアノの辻井伸行氏。そしてパリデビューおめでとう！チャイコフスキーのヴァイオリンコンチェルトのソリスト、周防亮介氏。演奏家の皆さんに感謝と拍手と敬意を。 Yesterday at UNESCO concert. Conductors Yutaka Sado and Kanako Abe, the SKO and Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii delivered great music in a tight schedule. Congratulations on Paris debut! Mr. Ryosuke Suo soloist performed Tchaikovsky violin concerto. Thanks to everyone and respect and applause of musicians.
辻井伸行さん、周防亮介さんはボランティアでの出演だったそう。若いのに堂々とした存在感と演奏で、圧巻だったし、指揮者の佐渡裕氏や、阿部加奈子さんも素晴らしかった。芸術の分野でも、日本人の活躍はすごい！！日本を誇りに思いました。そして改めて、パリって芸術の都なんだと思いましたけど・・ Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii, Mr. Ryosuke suo were volounteers in the cast. For such a young and imposing presence, spectacular and performances under conductor Mr. Yutaka Sado,and Ms. Abe Kanako was excellent. The excellent in Japanese art is amazing! ! I am proud to be Japanese ...
続いて、世界で演奏活動を続けている目が不自由なピアニスト、辻井伸行さんがショパンのピアノ協奏曲などを華麗に演奏し、観客を魅了しました。World renowned blind pianist Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii fascinated the audience with a brilliant performance of Chopin Piano Concerto -- NHK article http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20120312/k10013646231000.html
Blog posts
http://monsieurshibata.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2012/03/311-6d6d.html with photos
"... 今回は特にツボにはまったみたいで、佐渡さんの指揮＋辻井伸行ピアノによるショパンのピアノ協奏曲第１番には、ほとんど取り乱してしまいました。... especially Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 by Nobuyuki Tsujii + conductor's piano Sado, was most affecting."
http://madamefigaro-wlp.jp/75013/archives/51876152.html with photos
... 辻井さんのピアノも初めて聴いたのですが、これまでに聴いたことない綺麗な音色に驚きました。
こんな綺麗な音は、テクニックとかそういう問題ではなく、ものすごく心が綺麗なんだろうな・・・
そんな人にしか出せない音のように聴こえました。
演奏後の満面の笑みが、子供のようにとても無邪気な可愛さがあったのが印象的です。
目が見えないという中で、私生活の中でも大変な場面は色々と思うけれど、彼の音色に暗さとか
悲壮感がなく、本当に綺麗でした。
... For the first time I heard the piano of Mr. Tsujii, I was surprised at the clean tone. A clean sound without any technique problem·
After playing he smiled ear to ear, there was a very innocent cuteness of a child as it is impressive.
We do not see them in the most difficult and private lives and a variety of scenes, but there is no sense of darkness or pathetic feeling to his sound -- it really was beautiful"
http://amisparis.exblog.jp/17975012/
weblog posted by someone who was at the concert "Sellout crowd, a great success... Audience was even sitting on the stairs in the hall passage. Donations collected 4,000,000 yen is said to be devoted to educational support for children affected by the disaster. Nobuyuki Tsujii, want to hear more ..."
Rough English translation: http://bit.ly/zMHlEr
http://jbpress.ismedia.jp/articles/-/34796?page=4
A blog post that does not mention Nobu much, but does have a photo of him with Sado and the Super Kids Orchestra on stage.
http://smurfnomura.blogspot.com/ 3/14 entry
ユネスコのコンサートには辻井伸行さんも出演されました。
リハーサルが終わると、廊下ではキッズたちに囲まれ、質問攻めにあってました！
なんとカラオケが好きで、氷川きよしを歌うとか。意外ですね。
そんな辻井さんの奏でる音はきらきら光る真珠のようなきれいなきれいな音でした。
Also appeared at the UNESCO performance was Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii.
After the rehearsal, in the corridor is surrounded by kids, there was a barrage of questions!
"What I like is karaoke, or sing the Hikawa Kiyoshi." It is surprising.
The sound played by Mr. Tsujii was such a beautiful clean sound, like shimmering pearls.
The RECITAL REPORT of Nobuyuki Tsujii
On March 12 Nobu's own website posted a report on the Paris concert, with four excellent photos - 2 of which I grabbed for preservation and shown below.
The report reads
12年3月11日（フランス）
パリ/ユネスコ本部
昨年の震災後にパリ在住の日本人が中心となって立ち上げた支援組織「Japonaide（ジャポネード）」がユネスコの協力のもとに行ったコンサートに参加して、前半の最後にショパンのピアノ協奏曲第1番の第2楽章と、アンコールにリストのリゴレット・パラフレーズを演奏しました。後半にはパリの名門オーケストラのメンバー多数もボランティア参加し、感動のうちにフィナーレを迎えました。
March 11, 12 (France)
UNESCO Headquarters in Paris
I went to the headquarters of UNESCO to participate in the "Japonaide" concert , organized by the Japanese living in Paris in support of the earthquake of last year. At the end of the first half, I performed the second movement of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1, then Liszt's Rigoletto-paraphrase for encore. In the second half, amany members of the prestigious orchestra in Paris also volunteered. I was deeply moved by the finale.
You can download the video of the performance of Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Mar 11 Paris UNESCO Japan Earthquake commemoration concert -- to play on your computer (134 MB .FLV file) -- subject to time expiration:http://www.sendspace.com/file/a7csr8 And someone who was at the concert uploaded an amateur video of surprisingly good sound quality: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGNPOvyHgeQ
Scroll down to see lots of comments and some photos.