The East-West Center Arts Program and University of Hawai’i at Manoa Music Department and Outreach College are co-presenting three concerts by nine professional Tokyo musicians—the AURA-J Ensemble—on Saturday March 6th, Sunday March 7th and Tuesday, March 9th, 2010.

The Sunday March 7th (4:00-5:30 p.m.) performance is at the EWC’s Imin Center-Jefferson Hall, and will feature both traditional pieces and new works—including a composition by EWC’s degree fellow, Yoko Sato.

AURA-J is a professional musical ensemble performing and promoting new music composed for Japanese and Asian instruments.  Based in Tokyo, the ensemble is comprised of some of Japan’s finest musicians, and performs both as a large ensemble and in smaller groups of one to five instruments.  Since its founding by renowned composer Minoru Miki in 1998, AURA-J has presented numerous concerts and lectures in Tokyo, as well as in various rural areas in Japan.  In addition, AURA-J participates in a cultural program called Honmono no Butaigeijutsu Taiken Jigyô (Authentic Stage Arts Experience Program), sponsored by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

In addition to the three public performances, the group will reach out to the Honolulu community through several performance-demonstrations, including a presentation to introduce Japanese music to Hawaii’s schoolchildren. All events are open to the public. For a schedule of educational/outreach events from the AURA-J Ensemble, please contact DWomack@hawaii.edu or ChangE@EastWestCenter.org.

This series of performances is supported by the UHM Music Composition Program, the Japan Foundation, the UHM Diversity and Equity Initiative, the Hawaii Pacific Rim Society, the Friends of Hawaii Charities, and generous contributors to the EWC Arts Program.

Links:

• Purchase tickets in advance at ETicketHawaii or charge by phone at (808) 944-BOWS
• Read about the East-West Center Arts Program
• Learn more about EWC and UHM educational outreach events