Author: John DeSentis Source: akiraifukube.org, project120chicago.org Tickets: ifukubetenthmemorial.brownpapertickets.com Special Thanks to Erik Homenick and Reiko Yamada
On Saturday, December 17th, 2016, The Akira Ifukube 10th Anniversary Memorial Concert will take place at Nichols Concert Hall at The Music Institute of Chicago. The ten year anniversary mark of an individual passing away is of significant cultural importance in Japan and there were certainly many that were performed this year in honor of Mr. Ifukube, who passed away in 2006. This one will be the final of it’s kind in 2016. The concert is sponsored by Project 120 Chicago and fully supported by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Chicago. One such memorial concert which took place in Japan this past summer featured the incredibly talented Reiko Yamada, who brought down the house with her always blistering performance of Ifukube’s “Ritmica Ostinata”. She is affectionately known as a “Samurai Pianist” for the incredible energy that she dedicates to each and every performance. Mrs. Yamada will be headlining this performance which will feature works such as “Rhythmic Games for Children” (Recently published in Japan and containing the building blocks which would become the theme of Mechagodzilla in 1993 as well as other themes that would go on to thrill audiences in the series), and a two-piano reduction of “Symphonic Fantasia I”, which is known to Godzilla fans around the world.
When it comes to the pedigree of Mr. Ifukube’s music, Reiko Yamada is second to none. In addition to having been one of his students for four years at The Tokyo College of Music (along with others such as Satoshi Imai, who conducted Ifukube’s Heisei Era Godzilla film scores, and Karou Wada, who recently re-recorded the score to the original film), she grew up around the family. She was very close with Mrs. Ifukube, Ai, and would often help her to prepare the home for Mr. Ifukube’s guests, which included his closest composing contemporaries. Due to her good standing with the family, she has many times been trusted with premiere works for performance and recording.
Joining Mrs. Yamada will be several accomplished musicians. Her husband, Shigetoshi Yamada will be performing violin and vocalist Kaori Williams and pianist Hiroko Nagahata will round out the wonderful group of musicians that will dazzle the audience. In addition, webmaster of the official English language website, akiraifukube.org, Erik Homenick, will serve as Master of Ceremonies. The Chicago area has been no stranger to Ifukube-related concerts in the last number of years and the area also serves as the annual location for the North American Godzilla convention, G-FEST. So it is highly appropriate that this memorial year dedicated to the maestro of monster music should conclude with an outstanding performance like this with people who are extremely close to and dedicated to his work. Please come join your fellow music and Godzilla fans for an unforgettable night to honor the master. Not only will you hear the familiar, but you will also enjoy some of his lesser known works and hopefully be encouraged to seek out and listen to them. They embody all the same, great, emotions and feelings that fans have come to love from his Kaiju film scores. Tickets can be purchased at ifukubetenthmemorial.brownpapertickets.com. THE EVENT: Akira Ifukube 10th Anniversary Memorial Concert THE DATE: Saturday, December 17th, 2016 PERFORMANCE TIME: 6:00 pm THE VENUE: Nichols Concert Hall at Music Institute of Chicago 1490 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL. TICKET PRICE: $15 General Admission/$10 Discounted Admission (Child/Student/Senior)
