Imagine yourself sitting in an Asian oasis…which turns out to be the home of the Japanese ambassador to the United States. You are sipping a glass of saki and dining on sushi and tempura amongst the well-dressed and well-funded benefactors of the New Orchestra of Washington (NOW). WOW!!!

Embassy of Japan

Gardens, through the Tea House looking glass

Party Animals

BUT WAIT…THAT WAS ME!
Yo, Bob, our DC Concert Orchestra President, and I attended a concert last night called NOWfest Japan:  One World, One Dream, One Love. NOW is a “flexible ensemble” of professional musicians who come together to play reduced arrangements of great classical orchestral music, newly commissioned works and “genre-bending adaptations.” Basically, they’re awesome. This program was themed around contemporary Japanese music, with the finale being Marimba Concerto No. 1 by Chen-Cheng Lin (b. 1984).

Robert Schroyer on Marimba

Percussionist, Robert Schroyer, his partner, Stephen Keys (Oboist) and family

Robert Schroyer’s performance on Marimba gave me goosebumps – twice. We talked to him afterwards and he learned the piece by memory in 7 weeks. I wonder just how many Concertos there are for marimba??? One of the most interesting compositions was Threnody to Toni, Op. 12, by Takashi Yoshimatsu, a tribute to the Toki bird which is approaching extinction. If you close your eyes, you can hear the bird fluttering and attempting to fly…before coming to permanent rest.

New Orchestra of Washington

It was a great night and we are fortunate to be associated with NOW through our own DCCO. They coach our chamber music groups in master classes and we perform in pre-show settings before their concerts. It’s a great relationship, thanks to President Bob. THANKS, BOB!

DCCO President Bob Myers