Japan's Kagawa Chorus to sing at Windward CC's Paliku Theatre

Windward Community College
Contact:
Bonnie Beatson, (808) 235-7374
Marketing & Public Relations Director, Chancellor's Office, Windward Community College
Toshi Ikagawa, (808) 236-9126
International Education Committee Chair, Windward Community College
Posted: Feb 17, 2012

The Kagawa Junior College choral group
The Kagawa Junior College choral group
Kagawa Junior College, Windward Community College’s sister college in Japan, will perform a concert of choral music on Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012, at 7 p.m. at Palikū Theatre. Professor Rika Watanabe, who is a well-known soprano in Japan, will accompany 20 students from the Kagawa college chorus. This concert has special meaning for the students, who wish to share a heartfelt presentation of traditional and modern choral music in a medley of children’s songs and seasonal landscapes. The concert is free and open to the public.
 
Kagawa Junior College is located on the southern island of Shikoku. Since 1989, Kagawa students have been visiting the campus as part of their education program to learn and exchange language and culture, and also to experience Hawaiian hospitality. Three days after arriving home from last year’s visit, they experienced the devastating earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011.
 
In a message from the students, “The March 11 Great Earthquake of Eastern Japan severely damaged the beautiful 'country side' (our image of the traditional hometown) of Northeastern Japan. As the news unfolded, we could hardly believe that this tragedy was actually happening within our country. The people of Japan are working hard for a quick recovery from this disaster. This experience uncovered deeply held feelings about Japan’s traditional landscapes within many of our people. We would like to share with you, through choral music, our emotional connection to these beautiful landscapes.”
 
For more information, contact Windward CC International Education Committee Chair Toshi Ikagawa at ikagawa@hawaii.edu.
 
Windward Community College is located at 45-720 Kea‘ahala Road in Kāne‘ohe.