Our Italian Serenade at the FCCJ Friday was a splendid success. The sound of the Sinfonia continues to become ever more sensitive, passionate and beautiful, and that pleases me enormously. It pleased the audience too, an unusually full one for August, and their happy sense of spending an enjoyable evening with us was quite apparent. We are very grateful for the continuing support of Shinsei Bank as a sustaining sponsor; 50 people were there again thanks to Shinsei Bank's corporate policy of community relations.

BRAHMS SERENADE (9/19) After I get back from Manila, the Tokyo Sinfonia returns to the outstanding acoustics of Oji Hall (Ginza), where the orchestra is heard at its best, for the third installment in our historic series of Symphonies for Strings. The Brahms Serenade includes the string orchestra version of the Liebeslieder Waltzes, which we have previously performed, a charming little Intermezzo in A minor, and the string orchestra version of Brahms' magnificent quintet for strings in G major in its first performance as Symphony for Strings.

Brahms was a great melodist, and a superb craftsman with a gigantic heart. He worked on each of his symphonic works for years before finally deciding that he had brought it to a state of exacting perfection in every detail. I began the orchestration of the Symphony for Strings in India in 2002. As I worked on it (for months!), I was emotionally charged with the enormous variety, strength and beauty, and purity of soul I discovered in this music. It was the seminal work in what developed into our on-going project to enlarge the core repertoire of major works for the string chamber orchestra.

Our previous Symphonies for Strings champagne concerts have drawn near-capacity audiences to hear the Tokyo Sinfonia play great if overlooked works of Beethoven and Mozart. Over post-concert champagne, I discovered that each of the selections seemed to be someone's favourite, a phenomenon I like. In addition to the critical praise, platinum sponsor Tokyo British Clinic, project grant sponsor Minato-ku and operations grant sponsor Rohm Music Foundation have shown with their continuing support how much they believe in the worth of this series. That too is what I like.

The members of the Tokyo Sinfonia and I are deeply committed to this, our most important little concert series. String aficionados everywhere will be highly curious about this first performance, an historic event. The legions of fans who like Brahms' music will love this. Those who like the sensuous sound of the strings will love this. Anyone who feels the power of music, whether he understands it or not, will love this. Do join us. Come with a friend. Come with 2 friends, or 3; it's more fun.

Intermezzo in A Minor, Op. Op. 76/6
Liebeslieder Waltzes, Op. 52
Symphony for Strings in G Major, from Op. 111 (first performance)

Single tickets, group tickets and 4-concert subscriptions are available through the Tokyo Sinfonia website, through our office in Akasaka, or through the Oji Hall ticket centre in Ginza.

Note that subscribers, supporters and sponsors receive preferred seating in the centre block section. For tickets by mail, kindly contact us online, phone us at (03) 3588 0738, fax us at (03) 3588 0731, or email us at tokyosinfonia@gol.com.

Payment may be made by bank transfer to Mitsui-Sumitomo Bank Akasaka Branch Ordinary Account 8549626 Tokyo Sinfonia (三井住友銀行赤坂支店 普通8549626).

See you at the Sinfonia!

With every good wish from
Robert Ryker and the Tokyo Sinfonia


TOKYO SINFONIA IN SEPTEMBER (9/19)
SYMPHONIES FOR STRINGS - Brahms Serenade
Symphony for Strings in G Major, from Op. 111 (first performance)
Liebeslieder Waltzes, Op. 52
Intermezzo, Op. 76/7
Champagne reception
Oji Hall (Ginza)
Tickets: Single ￥6,000; 2 or more ￥5,500 each; 4-concert subscriptions ￥20,000
Platinum sponsor Tokyo British Clinic, Project grant Minato-ku, Operations grant Rohm Music Foundation


TOKYO SINFONIA IN OCTOBER (10/17)
SINFONIA PLUS - Choral Serenade (with the artistic collaboration of the Vienna Schubertbund)
Variations on a Theme of Haydn (Brahms/Ryker)
Liebeslieder Waltzes (Brahms) - Tokyo Sinfonia Mens Chorus
Rondo for Violin & Strings (Schubert) - Atsuko Mukaiyama, violin
Schubertiad Songs (Schubert) - Tokyo Sinfonia Mens Chorus

Champagne reception
Oji Hall (Ginza)
Tickets: Single ￥6,000; 2 or more ￥5,500 each

Sustaining supporter ardently sought

TOKYO SINFONIA IN NOVEMBER (11/21)
FCCJ DINNER/CONCERT - Scandinavian Serenade
Little Suite for Strings (Neilsen)
Concertstuck (Berwald)
Lemminkainen Legend (Sibelius)
Norwegian Dances (Grieg)
3-course traditional Scandinavian menu
Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (Yurakucho)
Table tickets: Single ￥7,875; 2 or more ￥7,245 each; 4-concert subscriptions ￥28,000
Sustaining supporter Shinsei Bank

Tickets/Information for all programmes:
www.tokyosinfonia.com
(03) 3588 0738
tickets@tokyosinfonia.com

Info Sinfonia

Intermezzo, Op. 76/7
Liebeslieder Waltzes for Strings, Op. 52
Symphony for Strings in G Major, from Op. 111 (world premiere)
Robert Ryker conducts the Tokyo Sinfonia
Oji Hall (Ginza)
Platinum sponsor, Tokyo British Clinic
Tickets: single ￥6,000, groups ￥5,500 each; 4-concert subscription ￥20,000
Information: (03) 3588 0738, or order online

Info Sinfonia