About this project
NEW HOPE . NEW MUSIC . NEW CONCERT
新たに願っています 新しい音楽 新しいコンサート
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We invite you to support a music project honoring the memory of the victims of Japan's devastating March 2011 earthquake and tsunami and the resilience of its survivors : A Thousand Paper Cranes, a major new work by award-winning American composer Michael Schelle.
This new 15-18 minute piece for piano and chamber orchestra, written for the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra and Japanese pianist Miho Sasaki, will be premiered at a special concert in New York City at the Thalia Theatre inside Symphony Space, March 2013, the second anniversary of the disasters that claimed over 19,000 lives and still effect so many in Japan today.
Sharing the NYC concert with A Thousand Paper Cranes will be music by two distinguished contemporary Japanese composers: Akira Kobayashi (b. 1960) and Hifumi Shimoyama (b. 1930). Chamber music by the late, great Japanese composers Toshiro Mayuzumi (1929-1997) and Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996) will also be heard.
In Japanese folklore the crane is a mystical being that grants the heartfelt wishes of those who honor it by folding 1,000 paper cranes. In Japan today, a string of 1,000 paper cranes is a symbol of good fortune and, thus, often given as a gift at such important events as marriages and births. With this in mind, composer Michael Schelle hopes his new work, A Thousand Paper Cranes, will bring good fortune to all the people of Japan.
Schelle writes: "There are many reasons I am so deeply moved by the Japan tragedy of March 11, 2011. Over the years I have been a frequent guest composer in Japan, including a recent visit to Hiroshima, where I witnessed an amazing display of MANY THOUSANDS of exquisite paper cranes - all lovingly hand-made by thousands of school children - adorning the city's Peace Memorial fence. (This was a breathtaking experience which haunts me to this day). Most importantly, I was so heartbroken by the look of fear, disbelief and sadness I saw on the face of my wife, pianist Miho Sasaki, as she sat paralyzed by her emotions, watching televised images of the devastation of her homeland last March. Because of this and the kinship I've grown to feel with the Japanese musical community I felt the need to reach out through a significant new work.
A Thousand Paper Cranes will be Michael Schelle's second expression of sorrow and hope about Japan's recent series of disasters. Last year, inspired by these same feelings, he composed The End of the World, a major work that was commissioned by a consortium of 35 university and professional wind ensembles and symphonic bands from across the United States.
Funds raised via KICKSTARTER will support the composition of A Thousand Paper Cranes and pianist Miho Sasaki's time to learn the new work. Funding will also help defray expenses related to concert planning and organization. It is possible that composer Akira Kobayashi may be able to attend (from Tokyo) and funding BEYOND the initial goal could help with those expenses. In any event, both Kobayashi and Shimoyama will provide all performance materials (scores and parts) for their pieces 'free of charge'.
Funding BEYOND the goal will also be used to help the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra with its significant expenses for the program (concert hall rental, musicians' fees for rehearsals and performance, concert publicity, etc.). Additional funding will also help with copying costs, reproductions of the score and performance parts, our travel to New York for the March 2013 rehearsals and concert . . . and to help take the sting out of the combined Kickstarter / Amazon administrative processing fees (c. 9%).
In the spirit of the project, composer Michael Schelle, pianist Miho Sasaki, the MCO conductor and a few of the MCO musicians will be providing their services and concert participation 'free of charge'.
Future performances (and a possible commercial recording) of the new work are already being discussed with ensembles across the United States and Japan. We also plan on repeating the original NYC program in Indianapolis and Chicago later in 2013 / 2014. Project backers / supporters will be kept posted of ALL activities and adventures related to A Thousand Paper Cranes.
Thank you / domo arigato gozaimasu !!
SAMPLE AUDIO / VIDEO
- CLICK HERE : Official website of composer Michael Schelle
- CLICK HERE : Miho Sasaki in rehearsal: South Shore Orchestra (Chicago) "on tour" throughout China: January, 2010
- CLICK HERE : Miho Sasaki in rehearsal
- CLICK HERE : Miho Sasaki in rehearsal
- CLICK HERE : Miho Sasaki performs the 1st movement of Michael Schelle's "Straight, No Lithium" (2010)
- CLICK HERE : Miho Sasaki performs the 9th movement of Michael Schelle's "Straight, No Lithium" as an encore (audio only)
- CLICK HERE : YOUTUBE videos of Michael Schelle's music
- CLICK HERE : audio/video page of Michael Schelle's website
FAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on April 14.
Pledge $1 or more Pledge $1 or more
Our heartfelt thank you !! Estimated delivery: the very moment you pledge
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
THE CRANE LEVEL: Our heartfelt thank you plus a personal 'Thank you' card designed and signed by composer Michael Schelle and pianist Miho Sasaki
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
THE SAKURA LEVEL: All of the above plus a special digital download recording of "A Thousand Paper Cranes" AND recognition as a "project sponsor" on Michael Schelle's website.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
THE TASHIROJIMA LEVEL: All of the above plus a specially prepared, not-for-sale CD-R recording of "A Thousand Paper Cranes AND your name published in the world premiere concert program. (Note: Tashiro Jima is Japan's "Cat Island", a national feline rescue shelter that was in the path of the great earthquake)
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
THE CHIBA CITY LEVEL: All of the above ... plus a signed CD of Michael Schelle's piano concerto "Wright Flight", performed by the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and pianist Andrew Russo released on Albany Records AND a string of handmade paper cranes handcrafted by pianist Miho Sasaki from manuscript paper sketches of "A Thousand Paper Cranes" - hang it in your home or anywhere you might need a little good luck. (Note: Chiba City is pianist Miho Sasaki's home town)
Pledge $250 or more Pledge $250 or more
THE MIAJIMA LEVEL: All of the above ... plus two complimentary tickets for the March 2013 "A Thousand Paper Cranes" premiere concert in New York City AND a specially designed shirt featuring the image of a paper crane and the line "I Helped A Thousand Paper Cranes Soar." (Note: Miyajima Island - a.k.a. Itsukushima Island - floats like a diamond in the Sea of Japan off the coast of Hiroshima)
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
THE TOKYO LEVEL: All of the above plus major commissioning credit and a nicely bound autographed 9 x 12 copy of the full conductor's score of "A Thousand Paper Cranes" - with your name published in the score!
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
THE FUKUSHIMA LEVEL: All of the above ... plus major commissioning credit in the score plus a visit-conversation-lesson with composer Michael Schelle and pianist Miho Sasaki - this can be in person (within 100 miles of Indianapolis includes lunch!!) or via Skype ... plus a brief new solo piano piece COMPOSED FOR AND DEDICATED TO YOU (or an individual of your choice) by Michael Schelle. Original manuscript and published score will be sent via USPS.
Pledge $1,500 or more Pledge $1,500 or more
THE SAMURAI LEVEL: All of the above PLUS a brand new piece (for solo piano or piano with any instrument of your choice) COMPOSED FOR AND DEDICATED TO YOU (or an individual of your choice) by Michael Schelle. Your new piece will be premiered at a private or public concert in your own home or hometown (within 100 miles of Indianapolis). Featuring pianist Miho Sasaki, additional repertoire for YOUR concert - selected from Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Prokofiev, Shostakovitch, Bartok, Messiaen, etc. - can be agreed upon later.
Pledge $2,000 or more Pledge $2,000 or more
THE MOUNT FUJI LEVEL: All of the above but YOUR brand new piece (for solo piano or piano with any instrument of your choice) COMPOSED FOR AND DEDICATED TO YOU (or an individual of your choice) by Michael Schelle will be premiered at a private or public concert in your own home or hometown * ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES * and we pay for the flights, the lodging, etc. !!. Featuring pianist Miho Sasaki, additional repertoire for YOUR concert - to be selected from Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Prokofiev, Shostakovitch, Bartok, Messiaen, etc. - can be agreed upon later. (Note: Mt. Fuji, whose name means "abundance" or "wealth", is the highest peak in Japan)
Project By
Connected as Michael Schelle (4002 friends)
The music of Michael Schelle (pronounced Shelley) has been commissioned and/or performed by over 300 orchestras and professional chamber ensembles across the US and abroad including the Chicago Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, the Buffalo Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony, the orchestras of Cleveland, Cincinnati, Louisville, Springfield (Mass), Kansas City and Indianapolis; XTET (Los Angeles), Pittsburgh NME and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
Recent international performances of his music have included Kammerorchester Basel (Switzerland), St. Petersburg (Russia) Philharmonic, Czestochowa Philharmonic (Poland), Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional (Costa Rica), the Koenig Ensemble of London, CoMET (Contemporary Music Ensemble of Tokyo), the Firenza International Music Festival (Italy), Spoleto USA, Wolf Trap and throughout Europe, China and Japan.
He is a two time Pulitzer Prize nominee, a restaurant critic (Indianapolis) and the author of THE SCORE (440-page film music book published in 2000 by Silman-James Press, Inc., Los Angeles). Schelle has received composition grants and awards from many prestigious arts organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, the American Symphony Orchestra League, the Welsh Arts Council (Cardiff, Wales), the Barlow Foundation (Utah), American Pianists Association, and the New York State Arts Council.
Schelle has been the featured guest composer for many leading institutions and new music festivals across the US and abroad including recent extended international residencies at Nagoya Imperial University and Aichi Prefectural University (Japan), the Beijing People's University of the Arts (China) and the University of San Jose, Costa Rica.
Originally from Bergen County, New Jersey, Schelle holds degrees from Villanova University, Trinity College of Music (London), the Hartt School (Connecticut) and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. His composition teachers have included Aaron Copland, Arnold Franchetti and Dominick Argento. Currently, Michael Schelle is Composer in Residence at Butler University's School of Music in Indianapolis.
