Oh, how I envy you all! Oh, how nice! I may want to participate myself next time.
The Federation of Japan Amateur Orchestras, Corp. (JAO) holds summer festival every year. As I continue to report on it, I can not stop feeling envy" to participants. No, it's more than that, this is jealousy" almost!
In 1993, in Nagoya, I was tempted" to be drunk with solemn harmony of Respighi and Saint-Saens played by World Youth Orchestra. Two years ago, in Sapporo, I unconsciously" groaned to see the bold challenge to the music of Ravel and Prokofiev. And last year, in Fukuoka, I gave applause from my heart" for distinguished sound of Brahms. Of course, I haven't forgotten my job as a coldblooded" journalist, but it is also true that I shouted "I envy you!" in my mind many times.
JAO Festival, which is sponsored by Toyota Motors Corporation and their family companies, goes around all through Japan. It is not a mere gorgeous festival that invites conductors who are talking active parts on stages overseas, and that gathers amateur players from all over Japan. It is filled with a pure desire to offer an opportunity to both the players and the audience to enjoy the beauty of orchestra music, especially the charms of harmony. Plus this festival is organized based on the standpoint of how JAO can contribute in offering such an opportunity to enjoy music.
We can find such an idea of JAO and conductors through how and whom they choose as the guest concert master, for example.
The year before last, conductor Hikotaro Yazaki invited his old friend Alain Moglia, who formerly belonged to Rochester de Paris, as the guest concert master. Last year, conductor Ken Talcaselci and the guest concert master Toru Yasunaga of Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra created a music of Brahms. And this year, Moshe Murvitx is coming as the guest concert master, with dignity and smile.
Until last year, Moshe Murvita belonged to Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, which has the best string section in the world, and played with many world renowned conductors. This accomplished violinist is still active with the Israel Piano Quartet and putting lots of efforts in the training of ensembles and young musicians.
It is the conductor Jun-ichi Hirokami who strongly recommended Moshe Murvitx as the guest concert master. Mr. Jun-ichi Hirokami is a regular guest conductor of Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. This coming November, he will conduct this orchestra for three weeks as his sixth stage. Mr. Murviix, who values the talent of Mr. Hirokami highly, will give up part of his summer vacation to accept the position of the guest concert master saying What a wonderful thing it is that Jun-ichi conducts the music loving amateurs". He further expressed his eagerness by saying This will be my first time to play under the baton of maestro Tsutsumi, I understand that he is very good in ballet music and in training amateur orchestras. I look forward to the performance of in full-length which is unusual."
We can not wait the exchange of messages between the players on stage and the audience through the long work of Stravinsky and the finest piece of Rachmaninov.
