“NIHON Cultural Performance” held at the National Art Gallery, PNCA

The Embassy of Japan in collaboration with the Islamabad Art Festival 2019 organized a joint music performance of Pakistani and Japanese artistes titled “NIHON Cultural Performance” at the auditorium of National Art Gallery here on Sunday 24^th November 2019. The Japanese musicians known as ‘The Trio Zipang’ where Mr. Takanabe is a percussionist; Ms. Tabata is a saxophone player; and Ms. Kitagawa is a pianist, together with the Pakistani artistes greatly entertained the audience and won a great applause.

To celebrate “A Month of Japanese Culture”, the Embassy of Japan has held a series of cultural activities such as “A Talk on Gandhara- Japanese Archaeological Mission in Pakistan" by a visiting Japanese professor Satoshi Naiki, “Japan Festival” at NUML, a photo panels exhibition “Japan-Through the Lens”, “Nihon Cultural Performance” and film shows aiming to further strengthen the existing friendly relations among the people of two countries.

While welcoming the Japanese musicians to Pakistan, Mr. Yusuke Shindo, Charge d’ Affaires, Embassy of Japan, in his opening remarks said that  the Embassy of Japan in Pakistan has always strived to share Japanese culture with Pakistani people as we believe that sharing one’s culture brings people together. He said Japan and Pakistan share a friendly bond, which has strengthened over the years.
 Mr. Shindo greatly appreciated the visiting Japanese and the Pakistani artistes for their collaboration to create beautiful melodies for the audience.
 
Brief Profile of the Japanese Musicians:

1. Mr. Ayumu TAKANABE (Percussionist)

Mr. Takanabe is Percussionist of Osaka Shion Wind Orchestra since 1996 and a lecturer of Osaka College of Music and Yuhigaoka High School. Mr. Takanabe appears on more than 100 stages a year such as guest appearances in different orchestra, studio recordings and adjudicator of national wide contests. He is also executive member of Kansai Percussion Association.

2. Ms. Naomi TABATA (Saxophone player)

Alto Saxophone player of Osaka Shion Wind Orchestra as well as a lecturer of Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts, Tokushima Bunri University and Kyoto Horikawa Music High School. She graduated and earned Master’s degree from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. She was semi-finalist of the 51^st Geneva International Music Competition and the 2^nd Adolphe Sax International Competition, 4^th prize winner of the 16^th Japan Wind and Percussion Competition and Best Teacher Award winner of the 12^th Osaka International Music Competition. She also released two albums from Meister Music.

3. Ms. Emi KITAGAWA (Pianist)

Pianist and a lecturer of Osaka College of Music, Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts, Soai University, Soai High School and Ishiyama High School. She graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and earned Master’s degree from Hochschule fur Musik Freiburg, Germany. She has performed piano concerts with many orchestras including the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra, the Geidai Philharmonia Orchestra, Tokyo and the College Operahouse Orchestra, Osaka.