Meguro UNESCO Peace Concert 2008
〜Trio Recital produced by Yumi Yamagata〜
Nana Inoue, member of Meguro UNESCO Association
The peace concert held at Meguro Persimmon Hall on Fri. Nov. 7 started with children of Meguro UNESCO Junior Club CHIKYU reciting “My Pledge for Peace”. The performance was a trio recital by Yumi Yamagata (flute), Risako Hayakawa (harp), and Satoshi Takeshima (marimba). The concert program was created by Ms. Yamagata herself. It was a very enjoyable program rich in variety, ranging from classical masterpieces to contemporary music. It was interesting to hear the performers comment on a composition before rendering it. They also told us about their own instrument including some of the difficulties of playing it. The music selected for this concert as well as the performers’ comments made me realize that it was really a “peace” concert. I was enraptured by the beautiful sound of the flute and the harp, and stared in admiration at the marimba player manipulating various mallets skillfully and energetically. This peace concert titled “Message of Peace and Culture for the Next Generation” ended amidst great applause from the audience as if responding to the thoughts of Ms. Yamagata who said, “Today we played wishing for peace.” Many pupils and junior high school students were there as invited guests this year, too. I wish they will become interested in art and culture, and work for the construction of a culture of peace.
