Fundraising Total

Thanks to the generous support of a large audience, just over €3,650 was sent to the Midori no Tohoku Genki Children's Programme.  Several summer camps are now being planned.  Our biggest thanks go to our artists who gave their services freely and performed superbly.

Photos of the Plum Blossom Concert

Hazuki Demachi playing opening commemorative music on Japanese bamboo flute

Reciting an elegiac poem about apple blossom and the Tohoku region

Takeshi Moriuchi playing a Chopin Nocturne

Mari Moriya

Daichi Fujiki singing a Japanese art song

Michael Lee introducing the performers

Mari singing Richard Strauss

Daichi Fujiki

Mari expresses thanks to the appreciative audience

Singing an encore

Announcing the winner of the RTE Lyric fm competition

Congratulations to Maire Griffin from Co. Cork.  She has won a wonderful night out at the Druids Glen Hotel, and free tickets to the Plum Blossom Concert. 

Don't forget that audience members at the concert can also enter to win the beautiful Jimmy T. Murakami painting.

More goodies in another great competition. Win a night at a luxury hotel, courtesy of RTE Lyric fm and Druids Glen Hotel

Answer a quiz question during 'The Music Box' with Trish Taylor (10 am-12 noon) on RTE Lyric fm on Sunday March 4th.  The prize is one night's accommodation for two people on Sunday 11th March at the five-star Druids Glen Hotel and Golf Resort, Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow; dinner and a round of golf for two; plus two free tickets to the Plum Blossom Concert.

More info about how the proceeds of the Plum Blossom Concert will help heal kids with PTSD

Midori no Tohoku Genki Fun Camps

PTSD and the Healing Power of Nature

Children in the Tohoku (NE) Region of Japan devastated by last year's Earthquake-tsunami may only now be showing signs of delayed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  They typically react in one of two ways, becoming either withdrawn or disruptive, even violent, in behaviour. Without expert help, many of them will fall irretrievably behind at school and take this behaviour with them into adulthood.

In its innovative programme, run in association with a professor in a leading Tokyo university, Midori no Tohoku Genki (loosely equivalent to 'wellbeing through Nature in the Tohoku Region') is transforming damaged young lives.

In forest fun camps children are introduced to a friendlier side of Nature than the one which produced a tsunami. They are free to climb trees, explore, make tree houses, go trekking and canoeing.  No child is pushed beyond his or her confidence limit. Those who cannot bring themselves to climb trees make furniture for the tree houses.  Those choosing to stay in camp cook for those who return after day-long treks and other activities.

Everyone learns a new skill and improves his or her confidence. Children begin to smile again for the first time in months.

Next Camp:

End of March.  Children will go into a snowy mountain forest and the plan is to make igloos and sleep in them.  The camp leaders have recently returned from a trial igloo camp.

The Midori no Tohoku Genki Programme urgently needs your help to continue its life-changing work. Go to the Plum Blossom Concert, enjoy wonderful music and support this worthy cause.

Some press response to past Mari Moriya performances

"The sumptuous-voiced Japanese soprano Mari Moriya". Opera Ireland/Opera 

"Following her Metropolitan Opera debut in the role, Mari Moriya’s Queen of the Night brought a real sense of theatrical climax." Glyndebourne on Tour/Music OMH

"Mari Moriya ... absolutely stole this show. Her first aria, 'Signore, ascolta', displayed a hair-raising control of dynamics and vibrato, her every nuance of timbre faithful to her character and to the poignant words of her aria. She is a born Puccini soprano, such is the demure effortlessness with which she conquers the highest registers." Opera Ireland /Sunday Tribune

Displays in the Pepper Canister

The audience will be given a taste of Japan inside the Pepper Canister through:

• Ikebana (Japanese flower arrangements)
• A small Japanese garden display
• Origami (Japanese folded paper modelling craft) items made by pupils of the Japanese School of Ireland and The Saturday School for Japanese Children in Dublin