Notable web postings - September 2019
Continued from Notable web postings - August 2019
Older notable web postings are collected at Notable web postings archival
♪ Sept 28 Notable Facebook posthttps://www.facebook.com/murf.mongtrax/posts/10157729215553319
One of my inspirations in life!
My favourite instrument played by my favourite musician, the amazingly gifted and wonderful Nobuyuki Tsujii...
His performances bring me to tears at times... he performs such complex pieces by Beethoven, Liszt, and Chopin, in such an effortless style, that you’d almost believe they were simple to play...
♪ Sept 24 Nobu to appear on stage at “National Festival” to celebrate the Emperor’s coronation
Big news from Japan -- image announcement made at Sept 24 press conference -- source https://www.nikkansports.com/
https://this.kiji.is/549137669225727073 [Kyodo News]
https://www.asahi.com/and_M/entertainment/ent_5789378/ [Asahi News article]
辻井伸行氏、天皇陛下御即位の奉祝曲でピアノ演奏
ピアニスト辻井伸行氏（31）が、11月9日に行われる「天皇陛下御即位をお祝いする国民祭典」で、奉祝曲のピアノ演奏を担当することが24日、分かった。都内で行われた同祭典の企画発表会見で発表された。
奉祝曲は、祭典第2部の祝賀式典で披露される。岡田恵和（おかだよしかず）氏が作詞、菅野よう子氏が作曲を担当し、辻井氏がピアノ演奏。嵐が歌唱する。トータルで15分予定。辻井氏のコメントは以下の通り。
「御即位を謹んでお祝い申し上げます。お祝いの演奏を心を込めて演奏いたします。令和を代表するピアニストとして、世界中のみなさんに、音楽の素晴らしさを伝え続けていきたいと思います」（原文まま）
祭典の総合演出を手がける黛りんたろう氏によると、奉祝曲は3部構成の組曲という。まずオーケストラの演奏からスタート。その後、2部では辻井氏のピアノソロ演奏となり、途中からオーケストラが協奏する。3部は歌のパートで、基本的には嵐の歌唱が中心。3部にはオーケストラの伴奏があり、今のところ辻井氏が伴奏するという予定はないという。奉祝曲は「まだ完成していないが、間もなく出来上がる予定」という。
Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii, piano performance with the Emperor's imperial congratulatory song
Pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii (age 31), will be in charge of piano performances of the congratulatory song at the “National Festival Celebrating the Emperor's Throne” held on November 9. It was announced at an event in Tokyo announcing the festival.
The congratulatory song will be performed at the celebration ceremony in the second part of the festival. Mr. Yoshikazu Okada wrote the song, Ms. Yoko Kanno ["Flowers will Bloom"] was in charge of the composition, and Mr. Tsujii is to play the piano. Arashi [a 'boy band'] will sing. Total 15 minutes. Mr. Tsujii's comments are as follows.
“I would like to congratulate the throne. I will perform the celebration performance with all my heart. As a pianist representing Reiwa [the new imperial era], I would like to continue to convey the splendor of music to people all over the world.” (original text)
According to Mr. Rintaro Tsubaki, the general director of the festival. the congratulatory song is a three-part suite. Start with an orchestra performance. After that, in the second part, Mr. Tsujii performs piano solo, to be joined by an orchestra in the middle. The third part is the singing by Arashi. There is orchestra accompaniment in the third part, but so far Mr. Tsujii has no plans to accompan. The congratulatory song is "not yet completed, but will be completed soon".
Image below: Japanese Emperor Naruhito delivers his first remarks with Empress Masako at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on May 1, 2019. (https://asia.nikkei.com/)
Editorial: Being chosen to perform in this event is a good sign for Nobu's publicly declared desire to perform at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olymic/Paralympic.
♪ Sept 25 Amusing tweet from a Japan Times reporter
Amusing tweet from The Japan Times reporter Magdalena Osumi:
https://twitter.com/jt_mag_os/status/1176683816233996288
"Idol group Arashi and pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii to perform at enthronement festival for Emperor Naruhito. Glad they picked Tsujii, he’s so talented. But Arashi... ? (sorry Arashi fans)"
♪ Sept 22 Going Home!
"日本を出発して3週間、明日は帰国の日を迎えます。Three weeks after leaving Japan, tomorrow will be the day of return." - Nobuyuki Tsujii concert report
What 3 weeks Nobu has had in September. I am exhausted just following all the exciting news!
Below: Collage of photos from various sources.
TOP left to right: Sept 7/8 With Japan Ambassador Yamada & concert organizers in Armenia; Sept 10 in Bucharest George Enescu Festival; Sept 12 recital in Sibiu Romania; Sep 10 backstage with conductors Michael Sanderling & Vladimir Jurowski.
Photos BOTTOM left to right: enroute from Romania to Liverpool; Sep 19 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic concert; with conductor Vasily Petrenko; in front of the Liverpool concert hall.
Safe journey home, Tsujii-san, and have a great belated birthday celebration.
♪ Sept 7-14 Successful debut performances in Armenia and in Romania
♪ Sept 7-14 Successful debut performances in Armenia and in Romania
♪ Nobuyuki Tsujii in Season-opening concerts of Liverpool Phil 2019 <= photos, comments
September 19, 22 Season Opening concerts for the Liverpool Phil & Mo. Vasily Petrenko -- Rach 2, Liverpool, U.K.
The Sept 19 7:30 PM concert was streamed live and is now viewble on demand on their facebook page, it can be accessed directly at this link https://www.facebook.com/LiverpoolPhilharmonic/videos/2443675479012565
The concert can also be heard on BBC Radio 3 live or on demand afterward.
♪ Sept 19, 22 Nobuyuki Tsujii in Season-opening concerts of Liverpool Phil 2019
The Sept 19 7:30 PM concert can be seen live and on demand on their facebook page
The concert can also be heard on BBC Radio 3 live or on demand afterward.
UPDATE
The video for today's Royal Liverpool Philharmonic concert can be accessed directly at this link https://www.facebook.com/LiverpoolPhilharmonic/videos/2443675479012565/
Click on the play arrow and then it may be necessary to click on the time bar at the bottom to get the video started.
Enjoy! It is supposed to be available for 30 days.
♪ September 19 Japan tour next year
On BBC Radio 3 today, Mo. Vasily Petrenko says he & the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic are going to Japan again next year, presumably to perform with Nobu.
Will they Rach 3 there, as they do next May in Liverpool? We are dying to know!
♪ September 20 A fan's observation
Watching the video of yesterday's RLPO concert again, I am reminded of something that came to my notice.
Nobuyuki Tsujii used to leap from the piano bench & immediately bow to the audience at the end of a concerto performance.
Lately, he acknowledges the conductor & the orchestra first🙏
I think that's great! I only wish the conductors would help him to the concert masters. Or perhaps Nobu can locate them by ear?
In the collage photo below: Left: Nobu bowing, Japanese style, to the audience, usually in 3 directions. Top right: Nobu reaching to shake hands with the concert master of the Romanian Youth Orchestra, Bucharest Sep 10. Bottom: Nobu reached for the hands of the concertmaster in Liverpool Sep 19.
UPDATE
It is possible that up to now, Nobu was not aware of what other soloists do on stage, acknowledging the orchestra, etc. But he always waits backstage to thank the orchestra members as they file by backstage, stretching out his hand to shake with whomever who wishes to stop by.
And Sandra Roberts of the RLPO graciously commented on facebook:
"yes he does- always! [I believe she's referring to Nobu waiting backstage to thank the players]. And gets hugs from our players in Liverpool too!"
I responded:
Nobu is fortunate to have such support. We are saddened that Mo. Petrenko will be leaving RLPO but I hope the friendship endures.
And, to my delight, Ms Roberts wrote back:
YES Absolutely we must continue our Nobu/RLPO connection beyond 2020!
♪ September 21 NEW gig May 31 Recital in St. Petersburg - to be confirmed
It looks like Nobu may once again have been invited to the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg.
If this announcement is reliable, he is holding a recital at the Mariinsky Theatre on May 31 Sunday 20:00.
The recital program listed is Satie-Debussy-Ravel-Chopin ballades, but I believe it should be instead his upcoming recital program Scriabin-Schubert-Chopin ballades.
And this would come one week after Nob plays "Emperor" in Hong Kong, 2020
Yes, I will keep an eye out on further announcements. Stay tuned.
♪ September 21 Photo album from Cluj Romania
♪ Upcoming Concerts : Armenia & Romania
Nobuyuki Tsujii in Armenia & Romania September 2019
September 6 Friday 19:30 Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall , Armenia
September 10, 12, 14 the 2019 George Enescu Festival in Romania
This week marks the start of autumn, when classical music concerts are back in force.
Nobu has a busy concert schedule ahead.
To start, he travels to the Black Sea region, where he will hold a recital in Armenia on September 6, followed by three concerts in Romania September 10-14, as part of 2019 George Enescu Festival.
I am frankly not expecting to hear much from these performances at venues off the beaten path.
I hope I am proven wrong, and - above all -- I hope our fearless Nobu will enjoy himself at these new places!
In any case, news and photos are collected here => Nobuyuki Tsujii in Armenia & Romania September 2019
♪ Congratulations to Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii on his successful debut performances in Armenia and in Romania .
Next up: two recitals on September 12, 14 the 2019 George Enescu Festival in Romania <= news, comments and photos collected here
The concert with the Romanian Youth Orchestra on Sept 10 was live-streamed.
Nobu celebrates his 31st birthday on September 13 while in Romania. Happy birthday, Tsujii-san!
♪ September 13 An artist's birthday wish to Nobu
This drawing, with a birthday wish, is by manga artist hashiya, posted on Nobu's 31st birthday.
It was posted at https://note.mu/hashiyahino/n/neb324bf74421.
The drawing is the latest addition to a collection of Nobu illustrations.
♪ September 13 From his mother: "Happy Birthday Nobuyuki"
Instagram by Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii (mother of Nobu):
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2WQh2clrUn/
"Happy Birthday Nobuyuki 🍾
本人はルーマニアなので私は友人達と軽井沢からおめでとう🎉[I ’m with my friends in Karuizawa Japan. He is in Romania.]"
Photo shows an elegant birthday cake.
♪ September 13 Countless Birthday Wishes from Japan
Sept 13 was yesterday in Japan. Countless birthday wishes came up for Nobuyuki Tsujii from his compatriots, such as this one.
https://twitter.com/mlliu2006/status/1172562418834083840
辻井伸行さん誕生日おめでとうございます！
私自身好きなピアニストのNo. 1です笑 ちなみにほとんど辻井さんのショパンを聴いてます 今度演奏会に行かしていただきます
#ピアノ #辻井伸行
"Happy birthday Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii.
My favorite no. 1 pianist. I can almost hear his Chopin now.
The photo [image of Nobu on piano superimposed on a street scene] is 'fake', but the sentiment is real:💐
♪ September 14 19:00 Recital at Auditorium Maximum Cluj-N♪ September 1 "The only way to a meaningful life in music"
An essay appears in a post, on August 23 2019, on the classical music blog "Slipped Disc" of U.K. journalist Norman Lebrecht.
It features words of wisdom penned by Brinton Smith, a cellist and music professor, on the eve of his retirement.
The piece was written for the writer's students, but any young musician will benefit from reading it. Young musician such as Nobuyuki Tsujii.
I hope Nobu will have a chance to read this insightful piece, or maybe a Japanese translation of it. Nobu's blindness may shield him from the vanity that comes with sight, but not the corrosion of "fleeting fame" and "easy praises" mentioned in the essay.
Nobu has had good fortune so far in a business that has its share of "harsh and humiliating aspects."
With his down-to-earth personality and good support from family and mentors, Nobu has been on the right track.
I sincerely hope that he will find his way to a full and meaningful life in music so that, to paraphrase Maestro Smith, "music will mean more to him at 60 than it did at 16, and that he will know the joy of humility, love and service to the most profound art in our world."
Read the essay here, if you like => "The only way to a meaningful life in music"
♪ September 20"MOVIE" page on the Nobuyuki Tsujii official website
On Nobu's official website, there is now a "Movie" page.
Currently it contains videos of "flowers will bloom", CHOPIN nocturne No. 8, BBC Proms Rach 2, Liszt's transcendental etudes; "still we live" with Exile Atsushi.
Take a look, if you like => https://avex.jp/tsujii/movie/
♪ September 20 A fan's observation