One of the perks of working at a university is the wide range of learning opportunities right at our doorstep. And no, they are not all dry lectures. Last month, the
Ateneo de Manila's Japanese Studies Program, with the assistance of the
Japan Information and Cultural Center of the Embassy of Japan, celebrated the Philippines-Japan Friendship Month with "Ongaku in Motion."
Ongaku means music in Japanese. The first half of the program featured traditional Japanese music and dance. This is a
koto, which is the national instrument of Japan.
After several pieces of koto music, played by the Director of the Japanese Studies Program and a member of the
University of the Philippines Koto Ensemble, one faculty member performed a
Nihon Buyo dance. It was fascinating with its slow, exact and refined movements.
Unfortunately, I couldn't stay for the second half of the program, which featured
J-pop and
anime music performed by the students.
Tanoshimi desu ne! The koto photo with the pink lighting is really pretty! I loved hearing the 0-koto when I taught English back in Japan from 1989 - 1991. Domo arigato gozaimashita, Hilda san!
ReplyDeleteHow very interesting. I know from nothing about koto music, but your photograph is stunnning!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures Hilda. That is a beautiful instrument.
ReplyDeleteThis is interesting, Hilda. Thanks for enriching my knowledge in Japanese arts and culture. Arigato Gozaimasu.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous, simply gorgeous. I adore your photos of people and being a musician, that koto hits the spot!
ReplyDeleteI can imagine how much you enjoyed this program. I thoroughly enjoyed Chinese music and dance when I was over there. I agree with you about the great perks of working at a university (or college in my case).
ReplyDeleteHow fortunate you are. Some of the things you get to experience because of your job. That first photo really is beautiful, and in the second you can really see the peace and concentration in his eyes. Good job Hilda.
ReplyDeleteWow, I didn't know it was the Philippines-Japan Friendship Month! Thanks for letting us know! I bet they played the song 'Sakura' on the koto...am I right? :)
ReplyDeletesutekidesu ne! ^-^
ReplyDeletei'm crazy about japanese nowadays, like your post!
This is so interesting ...I really love such kind of amazing things and this is one of them..Great post..Thanks for sharing..Unseen Rajasthan
ReplyDeleteA beautiful shot of a beautiful instrument. Isn't amazing how from those simple strings comes such soulful music.
ReplyDeleteYou are indeed lucky to be in the midst of such diverse cultural opportunities at the uni.
je ne connaissais pas, magnifique et j'aime la lumiere / couleur sur l'instrument
ReplyDeleteI did not know, splendid and I like light / colour on the instrument
All of this is totally new to me, beautiful images and great post. A pity for the J-pop and anime music performance...
ReplyDeleteone of my favorite culture. nice to have it featured in ateneo.
ReplyDeleteBoth shots are great! Glad you enjoyed the show, I mean, the first part...
ReplyDeleteOh Hilda, those perks are wonderful aren't they? I enjoy the same here as I work in the College of Visual Arts, Theatre and Dance and the College of Music is right across the street. We also have a Film School and the student produced films are fantastic. These are lovely pictures. That costume is amazing!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Your photos are really good and the dancer is perfect. (I lived in Japan as a boy and am still fascinated by the culture...the music can be a bit difficult to listen to at times. But it is interesting. As is the traditional clothing.)
ReplyDeleteI could not, for the life of me, figure out what that was from the thumbnails. Now it's all clear. Sorry you couldn't stay for the whole show, but it looks like what you saw was interesting.
ReplyDeleteOh that pink glow! The second photo is magical.
ReplyDeletei love koto music, so pretty and resonant.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful photos Hilda, just magical! I don't know much traditional Japanese stuff, but I did see taiko drummers when I was in Sibiu and loved their show!
ReplyDeleteJackie
Your shots are wonderful, Hilda. I love your angle on the koto and the pink lighting. I love koto music. In 8th grade our humanities teachers taught a unit on Japanese culture and brought in a koto and played it and it was love at first listen. The popular group Hiroshima uses a lot of koto in their jazz fusion music. I love seeing the costume of the dancer, too. What a great capture of him in motion, his arms at perfect level. Lucky you! Although, I bet you would have been hip to the J-pop and anime if you could have stayed. . .somehow I would think current Japanese pop culture would interest you, because you are pretty hip!
ReplyDeleteThat instrument looks like a great piece of decoration - the way you captured it with the pink light!
ReplyDelete