Into Classical Music Recently

I hardly listened to classical music before. Although I love listening to instrumental music like Celtic and other folk music, for some reasons, classical music just didn’t enter my radar. But not until last year.

It started when I first heard of Japanese violinist Sayaka Shoji’s Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto on Youtube. For some reason, I really liked it (and I still do) that I listened over and over again. Soon I was browsing for more videos of her on Youtube that I got to know more violin concertos and repertoires.

Then I learned about the Australian Youtuber violinist duo “TwoSet Violin”. Viola jokes aside, I started to appreciate classical music even more and even get to learn bits of music jargon every time I watch their videos. I actually used to play a Filipino rondalla instrument so I can relate to some stuff sometimes.

Then came the symphonies and piano repertoires. The more I looked, the more I discovered the fine musicians out there. And the great composers of the past as well. As for me, I do have certain preferences in compositions and interpretations. For compositions, I generally like the works of Bach, Brahms, Debussy, and Prokofiev. For musicians, I like Sayaka Shoji, Tifanny Poon (pianist), and Klaus Mäkelä  (conductor).

I also started attending concerts recently. Last summer, I went to Tokyo just to see Sayaka Shoji’s performance together with Polish conductor Krzysztof Penderecki. I also went to Hyogo to see again Sayaka Shoji’s performance but this time with Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen. I was also into Klaus Mäkelä’s Shostakovich Symphony No. 7 lately (in Youtube) that when I learned that he will conduct this in Tokyo, I bought the ticket right away even though it’ll be on a weekday. Sadly with the pandemic going on, the concert was cancelled.

So for now, I’ll dwell into classical music to help me this difficult and uncertain times. Sigh. That reminds me, the musicians are also having a tough time..

Kobe Luminarie and Happy New Year!

December was such a busy month that I didn’t notice it passing so quickly. Today is the last day and soon a new year will unfold. And I have almost forgotten to post about my enchanting trip to Kobe Luminarie.

Kobe Luminarie is held every December in which illuminations are built in memory of the Great Hanshin Earthquake which struck Hyogo Prefecture on January 1995. I was still young back then so I didn’t know such a disaster happened in Japan. It must have been very hard during that time in Kobe. But now they have largely recovered and that is very good.

There was a huge crowd of people as expected. Saying it ‘huge’ in this post is actually an understatement. Because it’s so huge and large-scale that they have to slowly direct all these people to the illumination site so there were a lot of walking and detours.

It was really a spectacular sight. Though I must be frank, illuminations are still grander in the Philippines.

And so for the reflections of this past year..

I remember back then, I said during last year’s December that I will definitely have a different Christmas next year.  And sure enough it happened. I received many blessings, so many that sometimes I can’t contain my happiness to myself. I am very thankful. I was taking my master’s program from the University of the Philippines during the almost first half of this year, and then I transferred during the second half  at Kyoto University.

It was just dream before, going and studying to Kyoto. I didn’t know it could be possible. It’s all thanks to my sensei, he was so kind to accept me in his lab even though my background is different from their research interests. And the lab members are also kind to me, friendly and helpful. And I should note that I am their first and only international student.

I think the most important lesson I learned this year is to believe and to have courage. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here today.  I am just so glad. I hope this coming year will also be a blessed one for me. Let’s do our best! 頑張りまあしょう！

Happy New Year! あけましておめでとう！

Kitano Tenmangu (北野天満宮)

Kitano Tenmangu is a Shinto shrine located in Kamigyo-ku dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane. It was said that he was the first person in Japanese history to be enshrined as a deity. He is best known as the “god of academics” and so many students come here and pray for academic-related intentions, especially entrance examinations.

The lighting conditions was not very good at the day I went here due to cloudy weather. Also there was not much kouyou (紅葉) or autumn foliage yet. I will definitely come back here to see the famed momiji and ume in February next year.

You can read for more information in the shrine’s site here: http://kitanotenmangu.or.jp/top_en.php#en_tp4

Fureaikan: Maiko Fumiyoshi (舞妓 富美芳さん) of Miyagawa-cho

Fureaikan in Miyako Messe showcases many beautiful and elegant Kyoto traditional crafts. And in every third Sunday of the month, they invite maiko from different hanamachi as maiko use and wear many Kyoto handicrafts such as their hana-kanzashi, hikizuri, okobo, and others. The admission here is free and this is only one of the few events you can see a maiko perform.

This October, they invited Maiko Fumiyoshi from Miyagawa-cho. She talks in very sweet and soft-spoken Kyoto-ben. She performed three dances: Hagi-kikyou, Momiji no Hashi and Gion Kouta.

I was torn whether I should finish the sumo match happening in Shimadzu Arena or attend this instead. I chose the latter and I do not regret coming here.

Ebisu-jinja (ゑびす神社)

Ebisu-jinja (“Ebisu Shrine”) is a Shinto shrine located in Higashiyama-ku dedicated to Ebisu, one of the Shichi Fukujin or seven lucky gods. I found it while randomly strolling around the Miyagawa-cho area. Right now there aren’t much shrine goers but I bet it’ll get busier when New Year comes.