With the start of this new and reduced concert season, we are delighted to share some exciting news from marimba player Makoto Nakura including live performances, a CD release, and a book release.
Performances
Makoto Nakura performed in front of a live audience for the first time since the pandemic began on September 1st at the Toyonaka Performing Arts Center in Osaka, Japan.
He presented his program “Bach Parallels”, an hybrid of his own transcriptions of works by Bach and Bach-inspired works written for him by composers from the US and Japan.
He will also perform this program on Saturday October 24 at 3PM at the: Matsukata Hall in Kobe, Japan. (click here for more details)
American fans will get their chance to see this program in NYC on Saturday, November 14 at the Musica Reginae Productions in Forest Hills. This concert will be live streamed and details will be announced soon.
CD release
Makoto is releasing his new recording Bach Parallels on the Japanese label Evosound. The recording is available in Japan from August 28th, and the global release will be on September 11th 2020.
For this disc, Makoto asked three composers to write pieces inspired by Bach and he has placed them in a parallel manner with Bach’s works. The first half of the disc is dedicated to variations, beginning with “Passacaglia” and the second half to preludes and fugues.
Bach’s music continues to be the source of our imagination after nearly 300 years. It was a true joy to see that this imagination bore the fruits of new music which embraces the sensitivities of our time and Makoto Nakura is excited to hand them to the next generation. People might think of classical music as the music of the past. Rather, through Bach Parallels, Makoto Nakura would like to send a message that we are travelling in the midst of a big current of classical music which pulsates as living music.
More information to come soon.
Book release
Bach Chorales for Marimba Solo: Makoto Nakura Marimba Transcriptions Volume I has been published on the Japanese publisher Kazenone.
Makoto has been transcribing Bach’s chorales for himself to play in his concerts over many years. This book includes the famous “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”, “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme” and eight other chorales from passions and cantatas transcribed for Marimba.
Click here for more information.