The MENDELSSOHN SERENADE Friday next week (12/12) the Tokyo Sinfonia will bring to the concert stage for the first time another truly great addition to the repertoire for string orchestra. The Mendelssohn Serenade is the fourth programme in our innovative series of Symphonies for Strings. We wish to salute the Tokyo British Clinic, our first Platinum Sponsor, for launching us in this exciting project, for which the world of music is eternally grateful.

Mendelssohn's life was virtually as incandescent and as brief as Mozart's. Mendelssohn was a precocious musician, both in performing and in composition -- as well as drawing, painting, singing, dancing, acting, languages, mathematics and billiards. What is perhaps without parallel in the history of music is the extraordinary perfection of his works written during adolescence. For this programme, I have complemented the concluding work of his maturity with the violin concerto which Mendelssohn wrote for himself to play when he was 12. Yes, 12. It is delightful! We performed this work with overwhelming success for one of our dinner-concert serenades, and I am delighted to present Tomoko Joho playing this concerto now in Oji Hall.

Among Mendelssohn's most sublime music is the string quintet in B-flat major which he wrote much later, for Mendelssohn, at age 35. Incredibly beautiful though they may be, what music lover has actually heard this or any other string quintet in concert? Calling for an extra player, special rehearsals and additional expense, these great works suffer neglect in performance totally unjustified by their uncommon depth of expression and inspiration. Our feature work will be Mendelssohn's Symphony for Strings in B-flat major, based on the string quintet, especially arranged for the 19 strings of the Tokyo Sinfonia.

Our audiences have loved the Beethoven, Brahms and Mozart symphonies for strings which we have premiered in this series to date. You will love this one too. In addition to the infectious charm of Mendelssohn's music, we have the joy of playing this wonderful programme in the excellent acoustics of Ginza's Oji Hall, where the Tokyo Sinfonia is heard at its best. Do join us. Come with a friend, or friends, and share the pleasure.

TOKYO SINFONIA IN DECEMBER (12/12) SYMPHONIES FOR STRINGS - Mendelssohn Serenade
Symphony for Strings in B-flat Major, from Op. 87 (first performance)
Concerto in D Minor for Violin and Strings, Tomoko Joho, Violin
Schoene Melusina Overture, Op. 32
Champagne reception (and chocolates)
Oji Hall (Ginza)
Tickets: 2 or more ￥5,500 each; Single ￥6,000; 4-concert subscriptions ￥20,000
Platinum sponsor Tokyo British Clinic, Project grant Minato-ku, Operations grant Rohm Music Foundation

For tickets, kindly email us at tickets@tokyosinfonia.com, phone us at (03) 3588 0738 or order by internet at tokyosinfonia.com.
Tickets are also available at Oji Hall, next to Mitsukoshi and Matsuya department stores in Ginza.

With best wishes from
Robert Ryker and the Tokyo Sinfonia

More Tokyo Sinfonia events

01/27 (Fri.) Sinfonia Plus champagne concert, Shinsei Hall (Uchisaiwaicho) - Mozart Birthday Serenade
02/27 (Fri.) FCCJ dinner-concert, Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (Yurakucho) - English Serenade
03/13 (Fri.) Symphonies for Strings champagne concert, Oji Hall (Ginza) - Bruckner Serenade
Information/Tickets for all programmes

tickets@tokyosinfonia.com
(03) 3588 0738
www.tokyosinfonia.com

Info Sinfonia

To a few musical friends

The SCANDINAVIAN SERENADE Friday next week (11/21) is another first for us. We have previously saluted a string of nations on our long-running series of FCCJ -dinner concerts. Never before though have we featured at once a group of countries sharing a similar geographic area and reflecting similar national values, if individual characteristics. Ambassador Jorma Julin of Finland and newly-arrived Ambassador Franz-Michael Mullbin of Denmark will be present at the centre tables, as well as Ambassador's representatives Kari Hirth of Norway and Kaj Reinius of Sweden. I believe they will be pleased. So will the large corporate group from Shinsei Bank -- and so will you.

For me, choosing the selections to represent each of the four the Scandinavian countries in a varied, balanced, attractive musical programme was the hardest part -- harder, in fact, than choosing the menu for the three-course Scandinavian dinner. In fact, I was unable to think of any suitably famous music from one of the nations, and at first considered presenting only three works. One of my staff remonstrated however, and proposed a composer from that country for me to consider. Researching his creative output I discovered to my delight a perfect piece for the programme, one which will come as a charming surprise for everyone.

TOKYO SINFONIA IN NOVEMBER (11/21)
CONCERT & CUISINE - 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: 2 or more ￥7,245 each; Single ￥7,875; 4-concert subscriptions ￥28,000
Sustaining supporter Shinsei Bank

All in all, our Scandinavian Serenade promises to be an enjoyable evening out to recharge the emotional batteries and remind yourself that the world is indeed full of genuine beauty. Enjoy it with a friend; even better, with a group of friends. Yes, we still have places left at the tables (about 30), and I would really like to see them well used. Tickets: 2 or more, 7,245 yen; single, 7,875 yen. We can accept additional reservations until 11/20. Kindly email us at tickets@tokyosinfonia.com, phone us at (03) 3588 0738 or order by internet at tokyosinfonia.com.

With best wishes from
Robert Ryker and the Tokyo Sinfonia

More Tokyo Sinfonia events

12/12 (Fri.) Symphonies for Strings champagne concert, Oji Hall (Ginza) - Mendelssohn Serenade
01/27 (Fri.) Sinfonia Plus champagne concert, Shinsei Hall (Uchisaiwaicho) - Mozart Birthday Serenade
02/13 (Fri.) Concert & Cuisine dinner concert, FCCJ (Yurakucho) - English Serenade

Information/Tickets for all programmes

tickets@tokyosinfonia.com
(03) 3588 0738
www.tokyosinfonia.com

Info Sinfonia