Music students at TNUA had the opportunities to learn from Prof. Frédéric Macarez from the Orchestre de Paris, and from Prof. Masateru Ando and Dr. Tamaki Ando from the Tokyo University of the Arts (TUA) last month.
Prof. Macarez, principal timpanist of the Orchestre de Paris, arrived at TNUA on March 14 at the invitation by the Department of Music to conduct a week-long series of lectures.
He noted that the interesting thing about music is that different musicians will have different styles and characteristics performing the same piece of music. He also presented his percussion art together with students in a concert to conclude his stay at TNUA.
The concert featured six pieces created by Prof. Macarez: “Kekse,” “Tango,” “Meeting Point,” “Resonnances Solo,” “Metallica” and “Mutation 10 Solo.”
Prof. Macarez is a famous soloist and chamber music player who has traveled around Europe, Asia and the Americas to perform in recitals and concerts with some of the best musicians. He is also a composer who has written many solo percussion pieces, percussion concertos, and works of chamber music.
The two koto masters from TUA’s Department of Traditional Japanese Music arrived at TNUA on March 14. They gave a series of lectures, as well as one-on-one teaching sessions during their three-day stay.
They were invited by TNUA’s Department of Traditional Music, which has been active in promoting koto music to local students since 2010 when it first arranged lectures by Noriko Tamura. Since then the department has included the koto into its curriculum and TNUA students have also formed a club devoted to this Japanese traditional string instrument.
Last summer, TUA offered sponsorships for two TNUA students to study the koto in Japan. The two students will again travel to Japan this summer to continue their learning, as well as presenting their achievements in a concert.