Opening Concert

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  • Date: May 30th (Thu), 2024 – 6pm open / 6:30pm start

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  • Place: Kawasaki Gender Equality Center “Scrum21″ Hall (850 seats)

Mizonokuchi 2-20-1, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa (Google map)

  • Entrance Fee: [For adults] JPY 1,800 (in advance), JPY 2,000 (at the door)
    [For under 18] JPY 900 (in advance), JPY 1,000 (at the door)

(all seats are non-reserved) (admission permitted for 6 or older)

Ticket Service at Seven-Eleven now available. (P-code: 2413446 or search “WWC”)

  • Performers: Kimiko Wakiyama, Akiko Shibata, Carole Anne Kaufman, Romu Aoyagi, Ryosuke, Rika Mori(pf), Mitsuhiro Matsuda(pf)

Kimiko Wakiyama (whistle, uke)

Born in Fukuoka,Japan.
While in Music College, started the performance activity with original style ”Hikifuki” e.g. whistle while play the piano.
In 2007, Kimiko Wakiyama won the grand championship at International Whistlers Convention (IWC) in North Carolina.
Many newspapers reported it.
Next year, She released a CD ”Whistling Paradise” from Victor Entertainment.
In this year,she she released a CD same record company.
She joined music festival in Hawaii, NY and Seoul as a member of Sekiguchi Band (Southern All Stars).
As a Pioneer of Japanese Whistler, she perform on TV, Radio.
She gave a musical piece to NHK educational TV.
Having whistling classes,and released two tutorial books.

Official site : https://kimikowakiyama.com/

Akiko Shibata (whistle)

Akiko Shibata is a professional Whistler from Japan. In the International Whistling Competition, she won the World Female Champion twice in 2010 (China) and 2012 (USA). In recent years, she has been a judge of the competition, and was named the 2014’s Entertainer of the Year for the best Whistling Performer. In addition, she also won the World Champion of Maters of Musical Whistling Competition in 2019(USA).

She often goes to other countries to perform; USA, Italy, France, Switzerland and Asia. She performs with various types of musicians using her three octave range whistling sound. She also enjoys performing solo with a marionette and a music box. Akiko hopes that more people discover and enjoy the wonderful world of Whistling Music.

Web site: https://akikoshibata.com/

Carole Anne Kaufman (whistle)

Carole Anne Kaufman is the Whistling Diva. A two-time Whistling Grand Champion, IWC Entertainer of the Year Award winner, and producer of the Masters of Musical Whistling International Festival and Competition. President of a nonprofit, CREATIVE BEING, which promotes artistic self-expression. Carole’s Master’s Thesis about whistling, “Heresy to Artistry,” is available for free online.

Web site: https://www.MastersofWhistling.com
Web site: https://www.WhistlingDiva.com

Romu Aoyagi (whistle)

Romu is an artist and educator who studies the musical whistling.
He was graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts. While in school, he studied music production, music education, and vocal music.
He possesses a rich musicality cultivated through his wide range of musical experiences, including violin, horn, and voice, as well as high level techniques.

In 2014, he debuted as a professional whistling player after winning the first prize at the 41st International Whistlers Convention.
In 2023, he collaborated with former Japan national team member Tatsuru Machida on the first work of the Etude Project for Figure Skating.

In addition to solo performances, he is active in groups such as “AOI,” a unique unit consisting of whistling, Tsugaru shamisen, and piano, and “Peter Piper,” an instrumental whistling band.
He studied violin with Kayoko Adachi, composition with Tatsuhiko Nishioka, and voice with Ryo Sakurada, Yoshiki Kobayashi, and Makiko Yamashita.

Ryosuke (whistle)

Born in Tokyo, Japan.
Ryosuke has been featured on radio as well as on TV and he likes to perform many different kinds of music, such as Popular, Jazz, Brazilian music and Classical while always trying to find new possibilities for the art of whistling.
In 2012 he released his CD “Baroque Whistling – Ballet Des Champs-Élysées -”.
In 2013 he won 2nd place in the Allied Arts category at the 40th International Whistlers Convention in the US.
In 2015 he received the Special “Allen deHart Award” for Whistling Artist of the Year and for Expanding the Awareness, Enjoyment and Respect of Musical Whistling as a Fine Art. He won 2nd place for “Hikifuki” (self-accompaniment) Division at The Masters of Musical Whistling International Festival in the US.
In 2016 he released his 2nd CD “WHISTLING FROM THE HEART”.
In 2017 he won 3rd place for Pre-recorded Accompaniment Division (Classical) at The Masters of Musical Whistling International Festival in the US.
Web site: https://studioloro.jp/

Rika Mori (pf)

She started taking piano lessons at the age of four. She studied at the Toho Gakuen Music School for Children, the Toho Gakuen Music High School, and graduated from the piano department of the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music. Received the Tateshina Kogen Music Festival Award in 1987. Performed in the Yomiuri Concert by Rookie Musicians in 1991. Mori has performed piano concertos with orchestras as a soloist since her college years. She is now active in various fields as soloist and chamber music performer, and also as an official pianist for overseas bassoon players in master classes. Studied piano with Kiyoshi Arai, Yoshiya Iwamoto and Hidemitsu Hayashi. Her chance of playing as an accompanist in the whistlers’ recital in 2003 led her to further performances with many Japanese whistlers in the series of the “Whistlers Music Festival” since 2005. Mori performed with overseas whistlers such as Geert Chatrou, Mitch Hider and others. in the concert of 35th International Whistlers Convention 2008 in Japan. She has been enjoying extending her activities as an accompanist for many whistlers, such as in the “Whistling Festa Puckarama! 2012”. She also worked as a judge in 2014 for the Convention in Japan (IWC) .

Mitsuhiro Matsuda (pf)

Web site
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(2024.4/8 updated)