East Goes West
The concert hall at the Tokyo Opera City is stunning, with its expansive ceiling of intricately layered timber forming a pyramid-shaped vacuum above the audience. The U.K. publication, the Guardian, had called this hall one of the best ten concert halls in the world. "Auditoria of this shape are actually quite rare, but it can have excellent acoustics," the article praised.
It is here for the second evening in a row that the AYO has performed this summer in Japan.
"We fly out from Tokyo tomorrow morning, to continue with the rest of our World Tour," Mr. Pontzious announced after a delightful encore of the William Tell Overture that turned the audience into a clapping metronome. "We will be in San Francisco and San Jose in California first, then we will cross the continent to be in the East Coast."
"The third leg of our tour will be Europe, the final destination being Brussels on September 5."
It is here for the second evening in a row that the AYO has performed this summer in Japan.
"We fly out from Tokyo tomorrow morning, to continue with the rest of our World Tour," Mr. Pontzious announced after a delightful encore of the William Tell Overture that turned the audience into a clapping metronome. "We will be in San Francisco and San Jose in California first, then we will cross the continent to be in the East Coast."
"The third leg of our tour will be Europe, the final destination being Brussels on September 5."
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| AYO Japanese members |
This particular audience in Tokyo on our second night, a sellout, was one that knows the 27-year journey of Mr. Pontzious very well. Many of them are long time AYO fans, alumni, orchestra members' family, supporters, and friends. Even Mrs. Yoko Abe, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's mother, was there - we heard she has been an AYO fan for some time. "I am humbled by the presence from all of you that fills this hall," Mr. Pontzious said.
But, with a twinkle in his eyes, "No Nimrod tonight," he said, referring to AYO's tradition to always play the Elgar's piece at AYO's last concert each year. Over the past summers, Tokyo has had that privilege.
"If you want to hear us play Nimrod this year, please do come with us to Brussels. Tonight, the Tokyo concert is not the last, but the start of the rest of the World Tour."
But, with a twinkle in his eyes, "No Nimrod tonight," he said, referring to AYO's tradition to always play the Elgar's piece at AYO's last concert each year. Over the past summers, Tokyo has had that privilege.
"If you want to hear us play Nimrod this year, please do come with us to Brussels. Tonight, the Tokyo concert is not the last, but the start of the rest of the World Tour."
The 100-plus AYO members come from 13 countries and economic regions in Asia this year. Sixteen from Japan were standing tall as they waved their instruments when called to stand up on stage. The rest include one from Indonesia, one from Vietnam, two from Malaysia, three from Korea, four from Singapore, four from Thailand, seven from the Philippines, 16 from China, 23 from Hong Kong, and 31 from Taiwan.
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| Tokyo Opera City. Photo credit: Mei Teng Chan |
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