No.202-2
UNESCO Peace Concert 2003
Ayako Kawai and Mitsutaka Shiraishi Piano Duo
In the second part, the two pianists performed Le carnaval des animaux with the recitation given by three youths so that the primary school children can understand and enjoy the performance.
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In the encore, Mieko from the Youth Activity Committee spoke of her experiences
in Nepal when she visited there on a study tour. The idea of associating
music and the spirit of UNESCO through words was unique and it received
a big round of applause from the audience.
Does Anyone Want to Participate in a Play Recital? |
(Text, illustration: Mieko Morita, Youth Activity Committee Member)
I attended a board meeting few months ago, which unexpectedly resulted
in myself and a friend and his friend performing on stage. When we saw
that the audience was predominantly primary school children, we decided
to recite a play in a way to capture their interest. The audience was very
quiet during the first half, but once into the encore, we heard laughter
here and there. "We did it!" Something had been communicated
to them. It was a great feeling. Through the piano concert I was able to
re-acknowledge the wonderfulness of performing arts. Hearing the sounds
of live piano being played made me feel calm and kindhearted. I was convinced
that arts can move people's feelings and was proud to be a part of it.
In the encore, I spoke about the trip to Nepal this past spring. ''In the
villages of Nepal, floors and walls of houses are made of dirt. When the
floors become bumpy, people rub cow dung to make the surface even. People
don't think cow dung is dirty or unsanitary, so they eat meals using their
hands without washing them. Because people do not have any knowledge about
sanitation, many of them become ill. About five children out of ten will
become ill and die before reaching adulthood. In the UNESCO Terakoya Program,
aside from reading, writing and arithmetic, the importance of washing hands
before meals is taught.'' Perhaps my experience in Nepal could be conveyed
to a large number of people through arts. The concert gave me the hint
and I decided to express my experiences in Nepal through a comical illustration.
I would like to thank everyone involved in organizing this concert for
giving me such a valuable experience.
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