2018 Cello Recital to Support Children in Fukushima, JapanNEW

The Azusa Pacific University School of Music presents a special recital in Azusa, featuring award-winning Polish cellist Marek Szpakiewicz. Szpakiewicz will perform this recital to raise awareness of the current situation in Fukushima after the 2011 “triple-tragedy” of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear fallout. In particular, the recital supports the heartfelt work of the Soma Children’s Orchestra members who are rebuilding their community in Fukushima.

The recital will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 20 at Munson Recital Hall on the Azusa Pacific University Campus. Admission is free, and a reception is held after the performance.

Szpakiewicz has been supporting the Children's Orchestra since its inception in 2012, through various charity concerts. All collected donations will be used to purchase a half-sized cello for the Soma Children’s Orchestra. The cello will be hand-delivered by Szpakiewicz during his visit to Fukushima after his upcoming recital in Tokyo on October 25.

The world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma described Szpakiewicz as an artist “whose energy, motivation, earnestness and generosity of spirit are evident through his work.” Szpakiewicz also contributed his talent to film orchestration as a collaborator with Polish composer Jan A.P. Kaczmarek. He worked on numerous scores with Kaczmarek, including the music to “Finding Neverland,” which received the 77th Academy Award in 2005 for Best Original Score. In 2008, the U.S. government granted Szpakiewicz permanent residency as an “Extraordinary Ability Artist” for his remarkable work as a musician.

The October 20 recital features works by Bach, Schubert, Bernstein, Franck and Chopin. Szpakiewicz made arrangements of some of the featured pieces for the cello. Pianist Jiayi Shi will accompany Szpakiewicz for this performance.

More about the story behind this recital, please visit: https://southpasadenan.com/cello-recital-to-support-childrens-orchestra-in-fukushima-japan/

Cello Recital to Supprt Soma Children's Orchestra in Fukushima, Japan

DATE/TIME: Saturday, October 20, 2018  7:00 pm
LOCATION: Munson Recital Hall, Azusa Pacific University, 901 E. Alosta Ave., Azusa, CA 91702
Free parking: Lot C

http://www.apu.edu/map/

ARTISTS
Marek Szpakiewicz, cello
Jiayi Shi, piano

Free Admission, and a reception will be held after the performance.

More about
More about Marek Szpakiewicz, please visit: http://szpakiewicz.com/