The musical is in Japanese, but if you read the synopsis (see below), it should be fairly easy to understand what is going on. The performance involves acting, singing, and dancing, so it should be fun for both children and adults to watch.

(By the way, a certain regular contributor to TsukuBlog will be appearing the show as "Queen Shule". Look closely at the second page of the pamphlet and you may spot her!)

Event: Adventures in Jamblini
Date: May 5, 2009
Times: 2pm and 5:30pm (two shows)
Place: Tsukuba Capio (map)
Tickets: JHS students and younger: 1300 yen, HS students 1800 yen, Adults 2200 yen

Tickets are available online or by contacting me (Shaney).

==========================
Adventures in Jamblini - Synopsis

The play opens up at a juku (cram school) where parents are being lectured on the importance of having their children enter a good school. At this particular juku, the head teacher has decided to offer "24-hour cram sessions" and the parents decide that they need to send their children to these sessions in order to secure their future.

The kids go to one of these cram sessions and are on their way home when they meet up with one of their friends, Cook. Cook doesn't attend juku, so she has missed her friends over the past 24 hours. She tries to get them to play with her, but everyone is too tired or too busy to comply. She finally convinces one of the kids to start playing janken (rock, paper, scissors) and that finally wakens the need in all the kids to start playing. Janken turns into tag, and soon all of the kids are remembering how much fun it is to play. Finally, the kids come upon an open manhole and decide to explore what is inside.

What the kids don't realize is that on the other side of the manhole is a whole other kingdom, Jamblini! When we first see Jamblini, we meet the Witch and her apprentices. The Witch is a proud, vengeful woman who has placed a spell on the peaceful inhabitants of Jamblini. Time has been stopped in the kingdom and all of its citizens are frozen in time.

However, all is not lost! When the kids come through the manhole, they sing a song that contains a magic word ("waku waku") that breaks the Witch's spell and frees the citizens of Jamblini and their queen, Shule. The Queen and her subjects are very grateful to the children. However, they have to deliver some bad news: the roads in Jamblini are all ONE WAY! So the kids have to travel all the way through the kingdom in order to get back to the manhole and escape.

The Witch is not going to be happy when she learns that the children have broken her spell. She is going to try to stop the kids with all of her powers. Queen Shule decides to help the kids by giving them some "Queen Dust" that will make a victim laugh for 10 minutes straight if exposed to it. She also tells them to call for her magic mice in a BIIIIIIIIIG voice if they need help. The mice are sure to come running!

Armed with the Queen Dust and Shule's advice, the kids go on their way. At first they are reluctant to go, but then they realize that they all have to work together to get back to the manhole. The Witch and her apprentices do indeed have their fun with the children -- trying to freeze them cold and blocking their way with fire -- but the kids do their best to work together to get past these obstacles and (spoiler alert) find their way back home.

The kids -- and their parents -- learn through these adventures that they should not spend all of their time studying. Play time is important too, and the kids can learn many important things through playing with their peers. One of the most important things that kids can learn is how to work together to accomplish their goals and get what they want out of life.

==========================

For more information about the play and Gekidan Kurie Tsukuba, the drama club that is performing the show, please see the club's website (in Japanese) or contact me.

General admission tickets are being sold for 1,500 yen at the Tsukuba Cultural Foundation or Tsukuba Shinkou Zaidan located at the rear of the Tsukuba Capio Center (029-851-2886) or at Nova Hall (029-852-5881). For more information, call the Tsukuba Cultural Foundation (029-856-7007).

For those of you out there not flying home for the holidays and who are planning to spend your New Year's Holiday here in Japan, come join us during this holiday season. Make the December 30 choral concert a part of your end-of-the-year celebrations.

More info:
http://www.blasttheshow.com/
http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/593/stage.asp (Metropolis article from a previous year)

In Japanese (includes information about how to buy tickets):
http://www.blast-tour.jp/

Saturday, February 2, 2008
3pm
Nova Hall
Cello: Pieter Wispelwey
Piano: Alexander Melnikov

A seats: 3000 yen
B seats: 2500 yen
C seats: 1500 yen

Program includes:
B. Britten: Cello Sonata in C major, Op.65
L.v. Beethoven: Cello Sonata No.3 in A major, Op. 69
B. Martinu: Variation on a Slovac Folksong
S. Prokofiev: Cello Sonata in C major, Op. 119

=============================
PIANO RECITAL

Sunday, March 9, 2008
3pm
Nova Hall
Piano: Boris Berezovsky

A seats: 3500 yen
B seats: 2500 yen
C seats: 1500 yen

Program includes:
L.V Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57, Appasionata
N. Medtner: from Fairy Tales
R. Schumann: Davidsbundlertanze, Op. 6

=============================
Discount!

You can get a discount if you buy tickets for both concerts at the same time.

A seat: 5500 yen
B seat: 4500 yen

=============================
Tickets

Nova Hall: 029-852-5881
Yamaha Tsukuba Branch: 029-850-0518
Ticket Pia: 0570-02-9990
Internet: http://www.tins.ne.jp/~tsukuba-concert

Anyway to make a long story short, Michael Frei, Thomas Mayers and I showed up at the studio only to find out that we had come two days too early. Everyone felt pretty embarrassed. Fortunately, the evening was not wasted. Since we suddenly found ourselves with nothing to do, I remembered that I hadn't been to East of Eden, a small pub which often has live music, in a very long time. I quickly found out that my friends had NEVER been there. In ten minutes we were walking through its front door. Tsukuba is full of surprises, and that night we were VERY happily surprised. Though it was a weeknight, there was a LIVE gig about to start. The proprietress told us that it was two guys from Kyushu who call themselves NO MISS GUITARS, and to get directly to the point, they blew us away. From start to finish these mid-thirtyish Kyushu-Danji kept our rapt attention with their powerful musical presence. With 2 acoustic guitars, harmonica and vocals we were treated to a full and sumptuous range of moods and tone colors, evoking an array of influences as disparate as Django Reinhart and The Violent Femmes. And though they were limited in terms of number of instruments they still made each song sound different. Their mastery of changes in dynamics was especially impressive. This was certainly not background music and I think there was hardly any conversation between audience members throughout the show. All the while, the crowd's gaze was intently fixed on the performance. It made me sad to think how these guys, true artists, have to virtually hobo around the country, passing out a hat (there was no cover charge) while pretty faced, vapid, TARENTO inundate the media and rake in millions. I can't wait to see these guys again and I would highly recommend that you check them out for yourselves. They will be playing at different small livehouse every day or so over the next few days.

Anyone who would like to get a glimpse of a very special Tsukuba sub-culture should head to East of Eden in Azuma. Its clientele is fiercely loyal and consists mostly of acoustic musicians and their friends. If you are a musician yourself I would VERY much recommend going there Sunday evenings for open mic night. Even if you don't play yourself you might still want to hear some of the music that is being written right here in Tsukuba. You WILL be impressed. Also check out their LIVE schedule. Acoustic guitar wizard Okayan is a regular performer.

Epochal Hikari no Concert
December 24, Monday
Venue: Epochal Tsukuba entrance hall
Time:17:00 - 19:30
Admission: free

17:00 - Handbell Concert by Suzuno-ki Handbell Choir
17:30 - Choral Singing by Tsuchiura Choir
18:00 - Hula Dance Performance
18:30 - Handbell Concert by Suzuno-ki Handbell Choir
19:00 - Drawing for gifts

Mako Karasawa Improvising among the reeds

A drive to Chiyoda-village, just North-East of Tsukuba City, is a journey to the HEART of the  OLD RURAL JAPAN of our imaginations. With a high percentage of its farmhouses still of traditional design, many featuring spectacular gates and storehouses, and scenery dotted with rustic shrines, temples and sacred stones ( including the mysterious rock carvings- The Magai Butsu 摩崖仏), this area, now part of Kasumigaura City, makes for a delightful day-trip at any time of year. In autumn though, with its high blue skies, musky air and ideal temperatures, it can be absolutely DELICIOUS.

This weekend ( oct 17-18th 2009), might prove to be the perfect time to make the short trip to Chiyoda ( a mere 30 minutes from central Tsukuba).  Besides the predicted fine weather and the roadside stands which should be teeming with the bounty of the areas numerous orchards ( you can also do some fruit picking- persimons , chestnuts, pears...) , there will be an Multi-Media ARTS  HAPPENING involving dance, music and fashion design , held on the grounds of a CHESTNUT FARM, which might prove to be the EVENT OF THE SEASON.

Tomorrow ( Saturday the 17th),  choreographer and dance artist Mako Karasawa, will be leading a troupe of 5 dancers from around Japan  in two sets of improvised performance pieces which will  generate out of the synthesized guitar musings of Thomas Mayers, and the WEARABLE WORKS of fashion artist Hatsumi Yoshida.

Yoshida-San creates her unique pieces in Bali, using local materials. Anyone familiar with Japanese culture, from The Tale of Genji ( with its amazingly detailed  and frequent descriptions of textiles) to the Harajuku-Shibuya scene ( where young people strut their stuff in the most eye-catching of original outfits) knows that Japanese culture has a flair, or I should say GENIUS for clothing design ( just look at how many Japanese dominate the world of high fashion). Ms. Yoshida fits firmly within this tradition, and a look at her new creations should prove surprising.

Mako Karasawa and Thomas Mayers Outside an old storehouse in Chiyoda

One person excited by these unique wearable creations is Mako Karasawa, a truly dedicated and very talented dancer and choreographer, who is always trying to reach new levels of beauty and expressiveness through the use of movement (as well as stillness). Putting on the fabrics has inspired her not only to move in still newer , fresher, ways, but to assemble a group of other professional dancers who join her for the event. Both Mako, and guitarist Thomas Mayers are skilled and seasoned improvisors who always give you EVERYTHING THEY`VE GOT, so one should expect  powerful and exciting performances.

All this should be intensified by the setting of the old chestnut farm!

The first piece will begin at 11am, and the second at 3:30

Here are some more details

Clothing by Hatsumi Yoshida
Musical improvisation by Thomas Mayers
Dance improvisation by Masae Karasawa, Tsukuba; Yuri Nakajima,Niigata; 
Sawako Takimoto, Chiba; Rika and Rie Saito, Saitama

The location is at: Shimaki Noen in Kasumigaura Shi (formerly Chiyoda 
Mura), a chestnut farm in the old style. The event will be held 
outside but in the event of inclement weather will move into an 
old  Ishi-Kura (stone warehouse).
Google Map Link:

Shimaki noen
四万騎農園の地図
↓
<http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&q=+%E8%8C%A8%E5%9F%8E%E7%9C%8C%E3%81%8B%E3%81%99%E3%81%BF%E3%81%8C%E3%81%86%E3%82%89%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%8A%E5%9C%9F%E7%94%B01020&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&hl=ja&ll=36.170308,140.223312&spn=0.142733,0.235519&z=12&iwloc=A

Check out some rehearsal footage at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em5XA_MSAfw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9sI9WSb9hY

And for more of what Ive written about Chiyoda:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2008/09/fruit-picking-and-mysterious-rock-carvings-near-tsukubachiyoda-town/
>

1 Comments

• At October 17, 2009, Nora wrote:

  I saw an Angel today;)) Thank's a lot!!!

David Sanborn Group Performance at Tsukuba Capio

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009.
Doors open at 18:30, performances start at 19:00

VOLVOX, a Tsukuba-based company has been bringing world renowned performers to Tsukuba. You may have heard about the sold out Fourplay Japan Tour or Lee Ritenour Group performances at Tsukuba Capio. This time, VOLBOX will bring David Sanborn Group to Tsukuba!

Tickets:
8,500 yen advance (tax included)
9,000 yen same day (tax included)
* Preschool-age children will not be allowed entry.*

Ticket Offices:
- Tsukuba Capio Hall
- Music Plant Stores in Tsukuba and Tsuchiura
- Ticket Pia
- E-Plus
- Or you can purchase tickets online from VOLVOX website:
http://www.vol-vox.net/ticket.html (available only in Japanese)

Inquiries:
Call VOLVOX at 029-851-2762
Or visit: http://www.vol-vox.net/

David Sanborn (sax): http://www.davidsanborn.com/
Ricky Peterson (key): http://www.rickyp.com/index.html
Nicky Moroch (g): http://www.nickymoroch.com/
Richard Patterson (b), Gene Lake (ds): http://genelake.com/go/

This article is from the October issue of the Alien Times. Please also see the September issue for reference.

When: Wednesday, May 21 from 7pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
Where: Nova Hall
Cost: A Seats 4000 yen, B Seats 3000 yen (pre-school aged children should not attend)

See: Flyer

Reservations
Nova Hall: 029-852-5881
Tsukuba Cultural Foundation: 029-856-7007
Tsukuba Capio: 029-851-2886

Babysitting service available for children under 10 years old. 1000 yen per child, limited to 10 children. Reserve a spot for your child by calling the Tsukuba Cultural Foundation before May 11.

1 Comments

• At May 20, 2008, TsukuBlog » Harvard Krokodiloes and Cymbeline wrote:

  [...] did, however, buy some tickets to the Doudou N’Diaye Rose Percussion Orchestra performance this Wednesday and that seems to have resulted in me being put on the Tsukuba Cultural [...]

There will be concerts by
Ikimonogakari(いきものがかり),
Zero(a Korean singer), and
Kaori Iida(飯田圭織),
all very popular singers. There will be a public recording of "Woody Live(a popular program on "bayFM")" from 13:00 to 15:00pm.

According to the Potiron's website, this is also a good time to enjoy 芝桜(siba-zakura, or moss phlox/moss pink) and 菜の花(na-no-hana, or field mustard/rape blossom), so don't forget to bring your camera(and your kids)!
* You'll still need to pay 500yen for parking, but you'll get an annual parking pass in exchange.