Morikawa Eiko
  Special Program : The Human Voice
  - Various Possibilities Including the Collaboration
     with Computer Concert,
     Part II   Ensemble Nomad & Morikawa Eiko
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September 14, 2001, Mini Theater
  In cooperation with Ariel inc.,   Authorized Program by the Association for Corporate support of the Arts
  Performers : Morikawa Eiko and Ensemble Nomad
    (Sato Norio, Kinowaki Dogen, Kikuchi Hideo, Kato Kuniko, Nakagawa Ken'ichi, Yoshino Hiroshi)
  Works presented :  "CosI` parlo` Baldassarre per Soprano solo" (1980-81) by Niccolo Castiglioni
"Living Room Music" (1940) by John Cage
"Sequenza III" (1965) by Luciano Berio
"Exotica" (1970-71) by Mauricio Kagel

In the concert on the second day, the above four pieces for the voice composed between the 1940s and the 1980s were performed by Ms. Morikawa from Berlin and the Ensemble Nomad from Tokyo.

Ms. Morikawa sang expressively the two works for soprano by Castiglioni and Berio. "Sequenza III" is a particularly demanding piece which requires singing in a variety of vocal expressions, sometimes almost beyond normal voicing.

The other two works are for instruments and the voice, which is treated as one of the instruments. Instead of singing normally, the voice joins in by reciting, hissing, shrieking, and the like. In "Living Room Music," four performers scattered on the stage uttering English words repeatedly, which sounded like rap music. In 'Exotica,' the six performers played ten different ethnic musical instruments. A mixture of the instruments and strange human voices gradually became completely harmonious in expressing both hustle and bustle and tranquility.

This program, part I and II altogether, was well-received by the audience that included art critics who came from all over Japan.

(Fjii Akiko)


Ensemble Nomad



"Living Room Music" (1940)
by John Cage

Photo : NANBU Tatsuo

Profiles

  Ensemble Nomad
The group was organized in April 1997 by guitarist and conductor Sato Norio, who is one of the leading musicians of contemporary music in Japan. Young talented members of the group have been expanding the horizon of musical expressions by performing a wide variety of music from various countries, as its name 'Nomad' indicates. Their performances of chamber music of the 20th century are always well-received.

  MORIKAWA Eiko, soprano
Received her M.A. from the Music Department, the Tokyo University of Arts. In 1993, she studied at the Berlin Arts University as a DAAD scholarship student and at the contemporary music lecture series in Darmstadt, Germany. She won the first prize and Masuzawa Award at the 65th Japan Music Competition, and a prize at the Gaudeams Contemporary Music Competition. Her repertoire ranges widely from classical to contemporary music. She currently lives in Berlin.


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