At the end of 2010

On 15^th Sep, 2010

Minoru Miki

Last year of 2009, I received both many suffers and a important Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize. In this year of 2010 I need to complete "The Happy Pagoda", the ninth full-length opera along 1600 years Japanese history. Everyday I am waiting the libretto of the short drama on the beginning of the Second Act.
Of course I need to compose several concert pieces during first part of this year.

On 26^th January, my "Symphony from Life" (1980) will be performed by Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra conducted by kazuhiro Koizumi at Santory Hall. About this piece you can know details on another page of this website.

Before above concert, on 23^rd January, Pro Musica Nipponia which I founded in 1964 and was acted as the Music Director until 1984 (You can also know many details on another page) celebrates 40 years history of 21-string koto centering my pieces like the first solo piece "Tennyo", the most favolite piece by Chinese-Korean koto players "Hanayagi (The Greening)" and famous duet with shakuhachi "Autumn Fantasy" at Tsuda Hall.

At the beginning of February, I completed "Ka-rin", a 13-string solo piece which commissioned by Ms. Fuyuki Enokido. I believe this rare solo piece for 13-string koto will be played by many koto players after Ms. Enokido's premiere on 1^st November at Ouji Hall, Ginza. Also I started to compose "Romance" for koto ensemble which commissioned by Miyagi school Koto Ensemble for their 40 years celebration and will be premiered on 15^th November at the National theatre. (Later on 25^th July, I completed this piece with 4 movements.)

The schedule of German premiere of "Ai-en" will be held on:20^th February (Premiere), 25^th & 27^th Feb. 25^th March, 19^th & 27^th April, 14^th May, and 5^th June (Before you go, please confirm the date) by the Heidelberg City Theatre like below. I will watch this interesting production on 27^th April. (Finally I attended Heidelberg performance on 5^th June).

Main stuff:
Conductor: Dieter Holm
Directress: Nelly Danker
Designer of scenary and costume: Andreas Auerbach
Dramaturgie - Joscha Schaback
Orchestra: Orchestra of the city of Heidelberg
Theater: Theater und Orchester der Stadt Heidelberg
Intendant: Peter Spuhler

Main cast:
Sakurako, Ryurei - Hye-Sung Na
Pipa play on stage insted of Ryurei - Yang Jing
Ono Kiyoto(Apr. May. Jun.) - Winfrid Mikus
Ono Kiyoto(Feb. Mar.) - Byoung Nam Hwang
Prinz Wakakusa - Sebastian Geyer
Choukei (Abe no Nakamaro) - Aaron Judisch
Emperor Gensho - Peter Felix Bauer
Empress Koki - Silke Schwarz
Mouken - Alejandro Amenta
Kagemi - Carolyn Lucy Frank
Chorus - Chor der Stadt Heidelberg

Almost of reviews were very positive (please watch typical reviews which Heidelberg Theatre translated to English), and tickets of 7 performances which finished by the middle of May sold out or only several seats left. Finally at the end (5^thJune) ticket selling will achieve the highest record as contemporary opera.

Aura-J is invited from US and will have several concerts in early March in Hawaii and Texas. I didn't decide to follow them according my health condition. But my several pieces have performed at both places.

I had 5^th medical operation during recent one year half. It was done on 15^th March, just one day before my 80^th birthday.
The operation was not heavy as an operation and needed only 46min. without cut colon. The doctor took out a small tumor without touch colon. After the operation, he said that this tumor will disappear gradually even no operation, Alas !

On 19^th May, Pro Musica Nipponia is planning my special concert in case of their No. 199 regular concert at Daiichi Seimei Hall.
After the performance : The concert was huge success. PMN performed Miki works ("Wa", "Lotus Poem", "Figures for four groups", "Dances Concertantes No.1 - Four seasons") at their highest level. Audience satisfied very much and many composers and players who came to the concert said that Miki works which composed for PMN in the past are all very personal but formed new classic for Japanese instrumental world.

On 20^th May, The Kindai-Ongaku-kan, a library who is keeping composer’s original scores etc. came to my house and I delivered original hand writhing vocal scores and original full scoresafter opera "The Tale of Genji" (2000). They also brought back many posters and programs etc.

I went to Germany with Nanako and several Yui-no-Kai members including Ms. Ochiai to see the final performance of Ai-En
German Premiere (8^th performance of Heidelberg Theatre since 20^th February). It already got very nice reviews from 20 more papers and full house audience for past 7 performances.

I have requested to do two lectures there. One is from Heidelberg University on second June concerning my "Nine opera series along 1600 years Japanese history":
and another one is from the Heidelberg Theatre on 4^th June centering to “Ai-en”. More…..

After come back from Heidelberg, I had concert with “Yang Jing & Yui Ensemble” in Yoshinogawa city and with Yang Jing in Otsuka Museum in Naruto ciy and Matsumoto city. Then returned to orchestration of opera “The Happy Pagoda”. Finally on 30^th June 2010, I finished its orchestration. It means “Minoru Miki, Nine Opera Series along 1600 years Japanese History” is just perfectly completed. People are phrasing that this series is the first and probably the last brilliant achievement as an opera series with a great purpose which beyond Wagner’s “Ring”. They say that my final opera is completed at 80 ages + 100 days. It is also beyond Verdi’s 80 (in fact it seems 79). Other persons express their hope to listen these nine operas once a continued nine years at Miki’s Mecca. Please listen these records is a cheerful topics in such dark & hopeless world situation.

Our "Hokuto International Music Festival(HIMF)" in early August as the fifth memorial year finished successfully. But under world-wide difficult economic situation, the plan was very late. We could start after knowing the governmental support in April. And we decided all schedule in May.
Please watch all data at our URL: www.hokutofestival.com

In this autumn, firstly I need reading proof for full score of "The Happy Pagoda", which a musician made by computer soft. Then I want to start adding strings section to "Requiem" (1963) which has wind & percussion sections and contrabass part originally. Beside of them, I am going to attend many concerts where my pieces will be played by excellent artists.

For example:
"Autumn Fantagy" (Vn+Pf version) 19 Sep. / "Marimba Spiritual" 20 Sep. by Keiko Abe & her group / "Dance Concertantes No.1 <Four Seasons>" 3 Oct. by Pro Musica Nipponia / Mono opera "Berodashi Chomma" 3 Oct. by Nobuhiro Sakai+Masko Watanabe / Folk opera "The Monkey Poet" 9 cities tour from 20 Oct. to 10 Nov. by Tokyo Chamber Opera Theatre / Premieru of koto solo "Ka-Rin" 1 Nov. by Fuyuki Enokido / Premiere of "Romance for koto, shamisen, shakuhachi and ko-tsuzumi" 15 Nov. by Miyagi Koto Ensemble / "Origin part 3" 25 Nov. by Asia Ensemble / Female choras suite "Misaki, Michiyuki" 27 Nov. by RKB Female Chorus / "Special concert of Miki koto works" 6 Dec. by koto excellent soloists produced by Nanae Yoshimura etc.
Also from Seoel, Ms. Moon Yang Sook is inviting me to attend the premiere of mono opera "Berodashi Chonma" Korean version in December.