5/21 AAPI Heritage Month Celebration

Join us for a relaxing afternoon at Shofuso Japanese House & Garden, co-hosted with the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia (JASGP). Enjoy an evening surrounded by the serene beauty of the garden with complimentary food and drinks provided. There will also be music by Daniel Matsukawa, Principal Basoon Player of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the MingDe Chorus, the choir of MingDe Mainline Chinese School. Come mingle, unwind, and connect with fellow attendees in a picturesque setting and help preserve our region's AAPI historic treasure! 

MUSICAL PROGRAM

River of No Return (Suite) 大江東去組曲 / Jiang Hsiuchu 江秀珠
MingDe Chorus 明德合唱團 / Rujing Chang 張如菁, conductor & keyboard
Daniel Matsukawa, bassoon

Nocturne / Vazha Azarashvili
Daniel Matsukawa, bassoon and arranger

ABOUT DANIEL MATSUKAWA

Mr. Matsukawa is principal bassoon of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He has been a recipient of numerous awards and prizes, including a solo concerto debut in Carnegie Hall at age eighteen. Since then he has appeared as a soloist with several orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra; the National, Virginia, and Curtis symphony orchestras; the New York String Orchestra under Alexander Schneider; the Auckland Philharmonia in New Zealand; and the Sapporo Symphony in Japan.

https://www.curtis.edu/person/daniel-matsukawa/

The Philadelphia Orchestra

ABOUT THE MINGDE CHORUS

MingDe Chorus is the choir of MingDe Main Line Chinese School. Their mission statement is to “not only to preserve Chinese musical tradition and to enrich cultural and social activities for local Chinese communities, but also to promote better understanding between Chinese and other ethnic groups in the community.”

MingDe Mainline Chinese School

“River of No Return (Suite)” beautifully reflects North, East and South Asian values found in Taoism, Buddhism, and Zen, that is, all things are in a state of constant flux and change, much like the ever-moving water in the creek that flows out of Shofuso.

Next, Daniel Matsukawa will transport us to the vibrant heritages of Central and West Asia with Azarashvili’s “Nocturne,” a piece that beautifully illustrates the interconnectedness of AAPI cultures. This work is now better known, not only in central/western Asia, but also in Japan thanks to the artists who are championing this piece. Here’s a beautiful example from violinist Ririko Takagi:

https://youtu.be/UMfVMAv-MdA

Listening to it, you will quickly find that its melody evokes a Far Eastern sensibility. Daniel Matsukawa has arranged it to match his bassoon.