After the earthquake on March 11th, musicians across Japan are looking for ways to support suffered and evacuated people. Besides collecting donations, a variety of activities started to help them recover their music lives.

 

1. Deliver pianos and musicians

Piano Donations for Japan Disaster Affected Public Schools

 

An organization called "Piano Donations for Japan Disaster Affected Public Schools", proposed by Mr.Kazufumi YAMASHITA (the resident conductor of Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra) and supported by renowned musicians and educators, aims at delivering pianos to public schools that lost their instruments. Michiko SHOJI (representative of PTNA Sendai-Michi Station) leads the engineering committee. When she visited one of the most devastated areas in Miyagi, she was shocked by the horrible disaster and determined to help bring back pianos and music to life again. Many musicians backed her determination and appeal across Japan and the world. "We would like to take time to raise funds and then deliver pianos to kindergartens, schools and institutions suitable for public welfare" said Prof.Shoji. ->official website

Music fund for mental care and recovery

Aiming at healing people by music, this fund supports musicians to go and play at the refuge centers or suffered areas. Donations are to be allotted to their transportation fees. The steering committee is chaired by Seikoh Fukuda. ->official website

 

2. Charity Concerts

A number of musicians including PTNA members and branches gave charity concerts throughout Japan. The total amount of donations has reached 5,219,765yen as of June 10th. Here are some concerts ahead.

A joint charity concert & public rehearsal by 19 pianists

On June 19th, 19 pianists will appear at the joint concert in Tokyo. The concert is divided in two parts; 14 young pianinsts will play in the first half and second part is led by accomplished musicians including Yuma OSAKI, Rieko NEZU, Yusuke KIKUCHI, Hironao SUZUKI, Asuka MATSUMOTO. Before the concert, public rehearsal is scheduled and 10 professors will attend.

Joint charity concert by pianists from Tohoku region

Three pianists from Tohoku (northeast Japan) will play on July 5th; Jun KANNO, Michiko SHOJI, Keita OBUSHI ->program

 

PTNA Charity Concert Series

As already reported, PTNA charity concert series were held in April and May at To-on Hall. A total amount of 2,224,877yen was donated and transmitted to several NGOs/institutions.

 

3. Concerts in refuge centers

On May 21st, two pianists (Ayumi IGA, Masatoshi Yamaguchi) visited a refuge center in Iwaki, Fukushima. ->report in English.  Another concert is scheduled on July 6th and Ayuko HIGUCHI will play in a school of the same city.

On June 8th, Noriko SATO(pf) and Kimiko NAGAI(vn) played in three locations in Sendai; a public institution, house of a PTNA member, and a public school. Audiences listened to music enthusiastically, even kindergarten pupils sit and hear quietly for 30min. In the public school, audiences sang Turkish March together and some shed tears on hearing a Japanese traditional song.

 

4. Volunteer piano lessons

PTNA calls for teachers who can give lessons for free of charge to students who are evacuated from the suffered areas. As of June 10th, 103 piano teachers raise their hands and 4 of them have already accepted students. A newspaper reports that Naomi HONDA (PTNA member, Osaka) started to give lessons to 9 year-old-girl who is evacuated to her city.