The sounds of Yui Ishibashi’s trumpet and Natsuki Yukawa’s piano echoed in harmony around Ark Karajan Plaza at Ark Hills in Minato Ward, Tokyo. An open-air concert lasting about 20 minutes entertained shoppers at the Hill’s Marche, an area filled with shops selling things like handmade crafts and flowers.
The concert is held every second Saturday. It is organized by Asa-Kura, a group established in 2013 to produce classic music events under a pledge “to create a town with elegant time and space filled with classical music.”
Asa-Kura produces live events in cafes and open-air spaces, and also arranges flash mobs and creates movies. The group has so far taken on about 800 musicians in total, mainly young people in their 20s, providing them with opportunities to perform.
“I got valuable experience that I can only get from a live performance, such as tuning the instrument in keeping with the air temperature and performing with microphones,” said Ishibashi, 24.
Asa-Kura, a popular event with the same name as the group, has been taking place since December 2013, presenting live music and a light meal at a cafe on weekends and public holidays. At the 13th event on May 28, people from a variety of backgrounds including lawyers, engineers and students sat around tables to listen to music from operas and musicals.
Restaurateur Akinao Kosuge, 35, from Meguro Ward, Tokyo, joined the event with his family. “I felt comfortable coming here because of its casual atmosphere. Another advantage is that I could let my 1-year-old daughter listen to a live performance,” he said with a smile.
Group representative and founding member Natsuhiro Kato said, “We’d like to present more opportunities for people to listen to classical music easily and expand its fan base.”Speech
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