Thursday Heritage Concert - Winds from Japan and Europe

Japan born and raised violinist, Yuhka Nagai and NZ raised Kent Isomura present a programme including two NZ premier Japanese pieces by contemporary composers, alongside the works of two European greats. 

Six pieces by Hikaru Hayashi (1931-2012) and a Nursery song by Rikuya Terashima (1964-) from Amami are related to Okinawan folk music which comes from the South of Japan. Traveling from Japan to Europe, Yukha and Kent play Rondo K.269/261 by W.A. Mozart and Violin Sonata No.1 by R. Schumann. The Mozart Rondo K.269/261 was most likely composed for A. Brunetti and written in the time he wrote his famous 5 violin concertos between 1773 and 1777. It was possibly a replacement of the finale for his violin concerto No.1, K.207. R. Schumann’s 1st violin Sonata is dramatic and has his expressions of unstable emotions and the depth of energy.