Concert of Visegrád Countries and Japan in Berlin
Cultural event to conclude a year of collaboration
March 24th, 2015
Following 2014 , a ‚Year of Exchange’ between Japan and the Visegrád countries (V4), the Embassy of Slovakia and the Slovak Institute in Berlin have organized a concert of musicians from the five states on the premises of the Japanese Embassy. The concert took place on 18th of March and the embassies of Japan, the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary in Berlin also contributed to the cultural event.
Performers included Slovak guitarist Mariam Rodriguez-Brüll, Japanese violinist Rino Yamamoto, Hungarian violinist Sándor Jávorkai, Polish violist Emilia Goch and Czech cellist Petr Nouzovský. The event was opened with an introductory speech by H.E. Amb. Takeshi Nakane, Ambassador of Japan in Germany and H.E. Amb. Igor Slobodník on behalf of the V4 and Slovakian chairmanship of the association. Both ambassadors have expressed pleasure that the Japanese initiative to strengthen ties in the fields of science, education, culture, economy and tourism, with all V4 countries, have been fruitful and resulted in various exhibitions in both Japan and in V4 states. Both speakers have also welcomed this musical event as a symbolic closure of a successful year of cooperation, which was started by the approval of the prime ministers of interested countries at the V4 summit in Poland in 2013.
H.E. Amb. Igor Slobodník highlighted longstanding and committed communication in the field of culture and especially in the area of music. Mr. Slobodnik furthermore expressed thanks for the generosity of the Japanese government, which has enabled purchase of technical equipment and quality musical instruments through a number of grants, and also celebrated a long tradition of mutual exchange of musical and dance ensembles between Japan and Slovakia. In his opinion, Japanese open-mindedness to European music enriches European and world stages with a variety of talented artists. Mr Slobodník finished by reminding his audience that it has now been over ten years since V4 countries and Japan joined together working on values they share, and by expressing hope that the Slovak chairmanship of V4 association will be closed with the historical meeting of prime ministers of V4 and Japan in June 2015.
Musicians performed musical compositions written by artists from Japan as well as from V4 countries, including for example "Romanian dances" by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, "Capriccio" for violin and guitar by Polish classical author Henryk Wieniawski and "Old Folk Song" violin solo by contemporary Japanese composer Kunimitsu Takeuchi. Artists also paid homage to the hosting country by performing a piece from J.S. Bach. More than 90 guests including representatives from involved embassies and cultural institutions from each country attended the event. V4 concerts have already taken place in Stockholm, Zagreb, Vienna, Bruxsells, and the Haague. It is still to visit Budapest, Sofia, Pretoria, Rome, Bern and Ljubljana.
References and Links
Berlin Global
