– World-famous Pianist Martha Argerich Supports Event: “Music Can Be Powerful Inspiration” –
The Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra posted a video of an interview with its General Music Director Tatsuya Shimono on February 1. In the video, Mr. Shimono speaks about this year’s “Music for Peace Concert,” which he will help organize on February 24, and his thoughts on pianist Martha Argerich, who has been supporting this event, and Beethoven, as well as his views on music. It also conveys Ms. Argerich’s aspiration for peace.
Ms. Argerich, the world-renowned pianist, has been sympathizing with the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra’s theme of “Music for Peace” and advocating herself the concept of “Music Against Crime” based on her belief that music helps encourage people to love one another and “weaken people’s desire to harm others.” The orchestra’s encounter with her led to the creation of the “Music for Peace Concert” project that brings together musicians from abroad to spread the culture of music and the message of peace around the world.
The year 2020, when the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games are held, will mark the landmark 75th year after the end of World War II as well as the 250th birth anniversary of Beethoven who extolled in his Ninth Symphony that “all people will be brothers.” The concert has been featuring Beethoven’s symphonies, collectively regarded as a bible of orchestral music, performing one of the No. 5 to No. 9 symphonies in turn every year. It will also continue sending messages from Hiroshima toward 2020 and beyond with the aim of enhancing cultural creation.
Outline of the video
The video starts with a comment from Ms. Argerich. She has been sympathizing with the symphony orchestra’s theme of “Music for Peace” over years. When she received an honorary doctorate in the Polish city of Katowice on October 23, 2015, Ms. Argerich told an awarding ceremony how she felt about her participation in the “Music for Peace” event. Her comment is posted to accompany the interview with Mr. Shimono.
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Source: Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra