ATLANTA, GA. (Atlanta Council Of Image & Fashion Designers/ www.valeriehines.com) - Don't let the name confuse or fool you. It really is a unique evening of traditional Japanese Koto music and jazz. The Woodruff Arts Center and 'Celebrate Diversity Through the Arts' is proud to present Junko Takeo and
Valerie Hines in concert at Symphony Hall on Friday night,
September 24 at 8:00 p.m. The concert is a real rarity, artfully blending jazz with traditional Japanese Koto music to highlight the joy of Japanese traditional music and its unique arrangements and enhance it with, yes, jazz.
Junko Takeo is one of the most appreciated and talented Koto (Japanese traditional instrument) players in the world. She has been playing this magnificent Japanese instrument for a remarkable 49 years and her concerts in Japan are frequently attended by the Japanese royal family. Ms. Takeo is a certified master of Ikuta School of Koto, a certified Japanese Traditional
Music Performer by the NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) and President of Wakatake-Kai (Wakatake school, a branch of Ikuta School. Born in Yamaguchi, Japan in 1939, she has performed in New Zealand, China, Monaco, France and the United States, including Lincoln Center.
Valerie Hines is considered to be one of the richest contralto voices heard in this jazz era. Classically trained Hines was born in Florence, South Carolina and began playing piano at the young age of 5. She soon became gifted as a composer, singer, and songwriter and began touring
Europe with America's Youth in Concert Chamber Orchestra at 13. By 19, she had added a U.S.O. tour with Bob Hope to her list of successes. She has performed from Lincoln Center to the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, and has graced the covers of numerous national magazines with photographs taken by the world's most esteemed photographers, including Francesco Scuvullo.
The concert will be performed in three (3) sets:
First: Junko's Set – Traditional Koto music with 4 kotos and a violin
Second: Valerie's Set – Jazz groove with a myriad of jazz arrangements
Third: Joint Set – An innovative mixture of Koto and Jazz, arranged by Dr. Dwight Andrews and Ms. Takana Miyamoto
To complement the concert and offer a full evening of Japanese culture, a Kimono exhibition will adorn the lobby of the Memorial Arts Building.
To order tickets, please call 404-733-5000 or visit
www.woodruffcenter.org. Tickets range from $30 - $65
WOODRUFF ARTS CENTER
The Woodruff Arts Center is ranked among the top four arts centers in the nation. A not-for-profit center for performing and visual arts, its campus comprises the Alliance Theatre Company, the Atlanta College of Art, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the High Museum of Art, and the 14th Street Playhouse.
CELEBRATE DIVERSITY THROUGH THE ARTS is a Woodruff Arts Center initiative designed to host, promote and showcase multicultural, artistic programming in order to build awareness and greater community participation in the arts.