Live Clarinet Performance
INTERGE KUSAKA
On Saturday, September 28, 2024, we held a special clarinet live performance at "Interge Kusaka," a home decor furniture store in Yanai City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. This store is highly regarded both locally and beyond for its excellent design sense and high-quality furniture collection.
The venue, which served as the exhibition space, has a unique atmosphere with its impressive high ceilings and surrounded by carefully selected beautiful furniture. We wanted to take advantage of the characteristics of this space to offer our guests a richer experience that goes beyond mere music appreciation. So, we planned a new concept event where guests could enjoy the music while simultaneously savoring the space itself. Specifically, we invited guests to freely walk around the venue, find their favorite spots and angles to take photos, all while listening to live music performance. This way, we prepared for our guests to experience a deeper emotional response through both visual and auditory senses.
PHOTO AZAMINO
During the event preparation stage, we asked "Photo Azamino", a highly regarded local photographer, to take promotional photos. The photos captured with professional skill and unique perspective beautifully expressed the atmosphere of the event. Particularly impressive was a series of photos focusing on the interior and lighting. These photos maximized the appeal of the space and perfectly captured the unique world where music and interior design merge. Personally, these photos have become my favorites.
Selection of the program pieces
Choosing the right pieces for a performance in such a special environment was crucial. I carefully chose pieces that perfectly matched the atmosphere of the space and would deeply resonate with the audience.
For this event's main program, I selected from "Ten Children," a masterpiece by Michael Lowenstern, who is highly acclaimed in the contemporary music scene. This piece has a cool, jazzy atmosphere, skillfully blending contemporary elements with traditional jazz elements. The original was written for bass clarinet, and as Lowenstern himself is a world-renowned bass clarinetist, the work clearly reflects his exceptional technique and musicality. Furthermore, the accompaniment track is richly interwoven with bass clarinet, creating a unique soundscape with depth. I'm confident that the choice of this piece greatly enhanced the atmosphere of the performance.
On a personal note, I had long wished for an opportunity to perform these pieces in public. In such a special environment as this, I was finally able to fulfill that wish and perform with great excitement and enjoyment.
I am deeply grateful to Interge Kusaka for their tremendous cooperation this time.
Every time, they willingly accept and support my ideas, which could be considered unreasonable demands. I hope to continue planning and realizing events filled with music in the future.
You can find recent performance video clips here
We are also accepting performance requests for events and such.
Contact me here if you would like a trial clarinet lessons