Let's go to Arizona!!

We are planing our trip to Arizona in Barnes & Noble's cafe♪

I want to see some vast field which [THIS IS USA!!].

We might drive from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon on the incredible wide freeway I've never driven.

When we were discussting, two gentlemen who were sitting next table of us spoke to us friendly.

They might have been curious because we were looking guide books and saying [Arizona] many times with joy.

They were quite familiar with Arizona so they told us some nice places.

That was helpful because we saw too much information about Grand Canyon from the guide books and we were confusing a little.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to visiting Arizona~~~!!

Brooklyn Botanic Garden 2

Look at thi~~~~~s!

Double flowering cherry trees are at their best now!!

I went there last Saturday.

I wonder if they hold out blooming one week more....

Because "Sakura Matsuri" will be held there this Saturday.

My friends Junko and Teddy's taiko group is going to perform at this festival.

I hope to see their performance in Sakura fubuki (It means cherry petals fell like snowflakes).

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Tulip♪

There are many colors of tulips!

Purple, white&pink, almost black....

Cute!!!!

Fort Tryon Park

I went to a picnic in Fort Tryon Park alone this morning.

It was really beautiful day today and I had time on my hand, 

so I made rice balls and walked to the park.

The park is very big and only 15 minutes away from my apartment.

And my favorite museum "Cloister" is in the park. 

So I've been there many times in the different season and I always love this park!!!

Every time I can see different faces of the park .

Today, a weeping cherry tree was in full blossom!

That was really beautiful....

I was reading a book, eating rice balls, looking at the river....

I could relax and refresh!

TRUMPET ENSEMBLE CONCERT!!!

That was a wonderful concert!

I was really happy that I played in St. Luke's Church with my fellow musicians.

The music we played is following.

☆B. Britten / Fanfare for St.Edmunsbury

☆S. Sheidt / Canzon

☆E.Bozza / Dialogue

☆R.Simpson / Sonatina

☆Rentaro Taki / Koujyou no tsuki

☆Japanese Song Medley

☆Music from the movie [Sister Act]

☆Churashima no Uta (Okinawa music)

Encore: Trumpet Party 

Performers are

Mamiko Ando

Sumie Sato

Chihiro Yamazaki

Eriko Shibata

Hanako Yamagata

Satoru Ohasi

And Junji also performed his song with violin and vocal before our performance. 

Ii was love song!!

I can never imagine that he wrote such a romantic lyric~~~~!!

Anyway, he did good performance.

I'd like thank to everyone who has supported us to create this concert.

Thank you so much!

We had a party after the concert at Sushi restaurant.

And then, all trumpet players were drinking until 3am~~~~~~~!!

Because that was Eriko & Chihiro's last night in NY (T_T)

I hope they enjoyed NY!

Trumpet players from Japan

2 of my friends Eriko & Chiro came to NY this Monday!

They are trumpet players too and played with me yesterday's concert!

It was beautiful day on Tuesday so we went  to Central park and had lunch♪

Another day, we had our concert rehearsal at studio near the Lincoln Center.

After rehearsal, we went to Korea town and ate a lot!!

They were surprised because every dishes were big.

We didn't need to have breakfast next morning. hahaha...

Hair Cut♪

I got a haircut in my room.

My friend Makoto works at a brand new salon in Astor Pl.

She come to my apartment and cut my hair cheaper then salon 

when  her day off. 

I feel refreshed.

SAKURA PARK

How cute and beautiful!!!

I saw cherry blossoms in the Sakura Park near the Manhattan School of Music the day before yesterday.

It was not necessary to wear coat that day and sky was very clear.

Cherry blossoms make me smile♪

Maccha&Rice=JAPAN?

I hung out with my Russian friend yesterday.

Last time we went to Russian restaurant and Russian bar, so this time I took her to have some Japanese food.

First of all we had Maccha sweets and Green tea in the Japanese cafe.

☆GREEN TEA

☆MACCHA ROLL CAKE

☆MACCHA CHOCOLATE

☆MACCHA DAIFUKU

"Ummm... everything is green...." 

She said.

She must have felt strange.hahaha...

And then we went to YAKITORI restaurant in Astor Pl which is typical Japanese [IZAKAYA] and enjoyed Yakitori and Sake.

I showed her the last page of menu that have some kind of cooked rice and told her, 

"We usually finish the party with rice even though we ate a lot ."

"Will you eat more???"She was surprised.

We couldn't though...

I also complained about NY's white rice.

Because Deli's white rice is always awful.

Anyway, then we took a walk and eat cream puffs in another Japanese cafe (we might have another stomach!!) and finally we went to bar in Union Square and talked a lot.

I don't have any funny stories but she might be able to write a book about her stories!

I enjoyed listening to her a lot of romantic or funny stories.

We ate toooo much last night....

Rush Ticket

Many people are in line.

Everybody wants to purchase rush tickets for Metropolitan Opera which are sold 2 hours before curtain.

They can purchase $100 tickets for only $20!!!

And I tried to be in line on Wednesday.

But I gave up. There were 100 tickets and I could see over 100 people though I arrived there at one and a half hours before started to sell.

I wonder what time I should come???

POSTER

Look at this!!

My friend Junko designed this poster for us!!

it's very nice isn't it?

She made it in a moment... unbelievable...

Thank you Junko!

I'm telling many people about our concert using this poster immediately.

Korea tour

I heard very sad news....

Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra (my place of work in Japan)'s South Korea tour was canceled.

We had a plan to have some concerts there in November after I return to Japan.

I was really looking forward to seeing my friends who met in NY.

And I wanted them to listen our orchestra music.

My Korean friends already know this plan and they were looking forward to coming the concerts so I had to tell them this result. 

They were disappointed about the news but told me I could come to Korea whenever I wanted and hung out with them.

I was very glad to hear that.

I miss them!!

I'm having a CONCERT!!!

I'm having an trumpet ensemble concert Friday 4.18.08, 18:00~ at St Luke's church in manhattan!!!!

Every summer, I've been having trumpet ensemble concert in Hamamatsu which my grand mother lives in. 

I sometimes told my fellow trumpet players that I'd wanted to have in NY as well. 

And two of them are visiting to NY next week at last.

That's absolutely chance!!!

But we need a pianist and I didn't know where we can play....

So,I asked my friend pianist who lives in NY to play with us and if we can play in the church or some where.

Then she accepted playing and found a place for us!!!!

Now my another friend is making posters for us.

I owe everything to them.

I appreciate it.

Thank you soooooo much!!!!

Buddhist Center

After I took regular English lesson in the buddhist center, I practiced the trumpet in the main hall.

When I was practicing, one woman who is an American buddhist came into the hall and start praying quietly.

I stopped playing because I thought I mustn't disturb her. 

But she said with smile "Don't stop playing. I need music."

So, I kept practicing but I played not technical method but beautiful melodies.

About 30 minutes later, I finished practice and she told me 

"You finish? it was like I enjoy listening  music in my room. Very beautiful. Thank you." 

I was happy.

Really happy.

Kirov Ballet

Recently, I've seen many modern dances, so I felt fresh when I saw quite common ballet costumes and traditional dances.

In the modern dances, they often wear body contour costumes as if they are naked and dance freely.

At the first time I saw modern dance, I felt weird but now it reversed. hahaha...

Anyway, yesterday I enjoyed beautiful Russian ballet and gorgeous costumes.

Especially, a prima donna who danced slow and lyric dance had a great power of expression.

She was really beautiful!

Unfortunately, the stage of NY City Center was not so big, so they seemed a little uncomfortable....

 

My original "Michelin Guide"

I took the last one-to-one conversation lesson yesterday.

Look at this!

My teacher gave me presents♪

Small and cute [Sushi Magnets]

And [Travel Journal Notebook] 

I can write about my "favorite restaurant" and "travel information" in this notebook.

It has places to write name, rating, location and some heads 

about the restaurant( the food, the ambience, the service etc..)

I've wanted to organize the places where I've been so far. 

I was really glad that my teacher knew what I need!

Thank you so much!!! 

Met

Friend: "My friend who is a member of Met orchestra gave me two tickets.                 Why don't we go to see the opera?"

Me: "100% yes yes yes!!! Thank you so much!!!!!"

So we went to see an opera last night.

The seats were the best place where center of the orchestra section.

I can't buy such a expensive tickets by myself!

We saw Plokofiev's [The Gambler] conducted by Gergiev.

Music was exciting and powerful but beautiful.

Every singers so fitted the characters that the audience seemed really enjoyed the story that over property, gamble and love.

They were laughing, sighing and applauding.

Thank you my friend!!!