Yuhka Nagai and Kent Isomura present Winds from Japan and Europe, 13 June

To complete our Thursday Heritage Concert Series, Japan born and raised violinist, Yuhka Nagai and NZ pianist Kent Isomura, present a programme including two NZ premier pieces by contemporary Japanese 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.