City Hall Enjoys Serenade from Japanese Master Musician

[From left to right, Yoshihisa Kitagawa, Yoshimi Fujimoto, Deputy Mayor Maria Heslin, Common Council President Susan Sandberg, Baisho Matsumoto, and Molly Jeon after a concert of Japanese music in Council Chambers. Heslin and Sandberg are holding silk origami cranes, a gift to the City of Bloomington from Matsumoto and Fujimoto.|image:2795]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2008
For more information, contact:
Miah Michaelsen, Assistant Economic Development Director for the Arts, City of Bloomington, 349-3534
Daniel Lopez, Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 349-CITY

Bloomington, IN - City staff and visitors to City Hall were treated on Thursday to music from Baisho Matsumoto, a recognized master of Japanese music, who is visiting Bloomington through a program sponsored by Indiana University. Baisho was joined by Japanese singer Yoshimi Fujimoto, IU faculty member Yoshihisa Kitagawa and Bloomington High School North Japanese Instructor Molly Jeon. The quartet, which also will be featured at a 5 p.m. concert Saturday in the IU Art Museum's atrium, was welcomed by Deputy Mayor Maria Heslin and Common Council President Susan Sandberg.

Saturday's concert will feature local musicians who will join Baisho in exploring both traditional Japanese and Western styles of music. The performance also will delve into more improvisational musical styles, including a jazz jam session. The concert is free and open to the public.

"Having these musicians perform here at City Hall was a real treat for us," Heslin said. "And we're thrilled that our own local musicians will have the opportunity to play alongside them as well."

The Saturday concert will be the culmination of Baisho's visit, which will also include a series of workshops in the community.

For more information about the performance and workshops, please contact Yoshi Kitagawa at kitagawa@indiana.edu.

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