Message from Minoru Miki

	After completing "Minoru Miki, eight operas along 1500 years Japanese history", 2006 was still busy year for me. Specially, "Hokuto International Music Festival (HIMF)"06 which I founded and directed in August opened my new carrier. I believe the festival will become special meeting place of East and West music. Please look its program in their website www.hokutofestival.com
	Japan Westminster Co. started to issue 3-CD album "Music of Minoru Miki performed by Ensemble Nipponia". Its Original 4-LP record album won the grand prize from National Art festival in 1970. The CD vol.1 which includes "Jo-no-Kyoku" "Tennyo" "Paraphrase after Ancient Japanese Music" published in September. Can buy from Japan Westminster Co. FAX +81-3-3989-1672
	In November, my wife and I traveled to Austin, Texas USA to attend PASIC (the Percussive Arts Society International Convention). Over 7,000 people attended the four-day event that featured various percussion clinics and concerts. Brian Zator and the Texas A&M University-Commerce percussion ensemble presented a clinic (concert) of my "New and Unknown Works for Percussion". The clinic was very well received by all that attended. Over the course of this past year, Brian Zator inputted six of my percussion pieces into a computer notation program to make them available for publishing. Since I have been so busy working on my other music, I have not had time to publish these pieces. Zator was able to do this for me and these pieces are now published and available internationally from Go Fish Music www.gofishmusic.com The pieces include "Marim Dan-Dan", "Sohmon III", "Cassiopeia Marimbana" (originally for koto quintet but arranged for marimbas by Zator), "Kincho Daiko","Yoshitsune Daiko", and "Z Conversion". In addition to attending the convention, I visited Zator at Texas A&M University-Commerce and worked with his ensemble through several rehearsals and attended their concert.
	At the end of 2006, Zen On Music Publisher finally published "Minoru Miki Opera Aria Album 1" which includes 21 arias from "Shunkin-sho" "An Actor's Revenge" "Joruri" "Wakahime". It was very rare case to publish aria album by one contemporary composer. March 4, Tokyo Chamber Opera Theatre will perform all 21 arias by fresh singers at Tsuda Hall, Tokyo as the memorial concert. [NB] Almost full house audience enjoyed the concert as well as singers. Album 2 will select from "Shizuka and Yoshitsune" "The River Sumida" "The Tale of Genji" "Ai-en (To Die for Love)".
	On February 11, 2007 "Wakahime" will be performed at Okayama Symphony Hall conducted by Maestro Norichika Iimori, directed by Naoshi Oshima. I will acting as a music director. [NB] The performance seems a rare great success as the production in Japanese local city. The Hall took the performance by High vision video cameras.
	On March 15, Rochester University Press is finally publishing my 1996 written "Composing for Japanese Instruments" (285 pages) translated by Martin Regan. [NB] By reason that the press wants to insertÅ@ attachments (photographs, music examples & illustrations) perfectly, the publication has postponed to Autumn of 2008.
	On March 25, Aura-J is performing "Hagoromo", a legend for soprano, baritone and traditional Japanese instruments at Tsuda Hall. [NB] I conducted full concert in perfect attitude. Audience who occupied 90% of the hall loved this legend very much because of understandable melodies and gentle music. The National Cultural Agency decided to use the piece by the Aura-J’s performing tour in November 2008.
	On 6 April, Colin Graham died in Saint Louis. He is my great, close friend since 1972 and one of the best opera librettist-stage director in English speaking area. Graham world premiered my “An Actor’s Revenge” (1979) as the director of the English Music Theatre in London. Then he wrote the libretto and directed the world premiere of “Joruri” (1985) which commissioned for us from the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Also Graham wrote the libretto and directed the world premiere of “The tale of Genji” (2000) which commissioned by OTSL. Graham made English version of my fourth opera “Wakahime” and a folk opera “The Monkey Poet”. However before their premier he went to the Heaven before our next co-operation on my ninth opera which we promised together, Alas! Please see a mourning article on New York Times.
	On May 3, I will conduct Asakusa Mixed Chorus, and premiere 1963 composed "Requiem" revised version at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. [ÇmÇa] This performance was like a miracle. I conducted very clearly with full heart. Many audience said that Miki’s Requiem is better than Mozart’s one which performed in the first half.
	On June 20, Aura-J celebrate my 77 age anniversary and perform "Paraphrase after Ancient Japanese Music"(60s), "Dances Concertantes No.1 – Four Seasons"(70s), "Koto concerto No.4" (80s), "Lotus Poem"(90s) as my masterpieces for Japanese instrumental ensemble in each different 10 years. The concert will be held at Tsuda Hall. [NB] Mr. Koshiro Nishida conducted all the concert with energy and all members of Aura-J devoted their passion to my pieces. It was quite satisfied moment for me. All five projects which performed in the first half of this year were filled by audience. This facts were also very happy matter for me.
	In early August, the Vancouver Festival invite the Asia Ensemble on 5th and 6th to play our repertory, and following on 8th, Yang Jing and I will present a one hour lecture on Asian music at festival's "Inside the Music". [NB] We got the right to receive traveling fee from the Japan Foundation, but unfortunately it can cover half of air fare of our six members. So I and the Festival had talk to postpone this plan to the near future.
	"Hokuto International Music Festival (HIMF)" 07 will be held between August 22 and 26 at south slope of Yatsugadake Mountain. Precise data will be announced at this website or www.hokutofestival.com [NB] HIMF2007 had quite good results. I wrote an article on Yamanashi Nichinichi Newpaper as the Artistic Director in Japanese. You can see it at above website in English. Please click this “Look back upon HIMF 2007”
	Now I am composing "The Happy Pagoda", a folk opera which will be premiered at the grand finale of Tokushima National Cultural Festival on November 4. The libretto is written by Mr. Tatsumune Iwata. [NB] I will mention these projects happened in last half of 2007 at next chance titled “At the beginning of the year 2008” including this folk opera and “Folk Symphony” as well as the report of Hong Kong in October.