NEW YORK, May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Tamami Tono, Siemens'
Artist-in-Residence, will debut her musical composition, "Seishinga - The
Legend of Two Stars" at the Japan Society on May 19, 2003.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20021029/SILOGO )
The composition, a combination of traditional and modern Japanese styles
of music, tells the story of Tanabata, the legend of the Cowherd Star (Altair)
and Weaver Star (Vega), lovers separated by the Milky Way who are only allowed
to meet once a year--on the seventh day of the seventh month.
Also performing with Tono will be: Ko Umezaki on the shakuhachi, Jianbing
Hu on the sheng, Jason Duckles on the cello, and Betti Xiang on the erhu. The
performance will mark the completion of the second composition created under
the Siemens Artist-in-Residence Program.
Tamami Tono, from Kanagawa, Japan, is a performer of gagaku, one of the
world's oldest existing music and dance performing arts. For the past two
months as the second person to serve as an "Artist in Residence" in the
Siemens cultural exchange program she has been creating her composition in a
studio at Siemens Corporate Research in Princeton, New Jersey.
During her performance at the Japan Society, Tono will also debut her
groundbreaking music form called "Breathing Media," a fusion of audio and
visual components derived from the mechanics of the centuries-old sho
instrument combined with visual arts and the 'digitization' of breathing.
While at Siemens Corporate Research, Tono has worked with Siemens engineers to
connect the output of her existing technology to the input of Siemens' 3D
technology. The result will be navigating through a 3D visual space in a way
that correlates with the breath of the instrumentalist.
"Breathing media combines the elemental, the traditional and modern
innovation in a single creative piece," says Tamami Tono. "It is the perfect
match of past, present and future."
According to Tamami Tono, "Composing music is analogous to finding
constellations in the sky. There are endless possibilities with sound. I'm
excited to extend the path of the Silk Road Project across the ocean, by
sharing my music with others."
During her time in the United States, Tono has been living with Beatrice
Hwong, a software engineer at Siemens, and her family. "We have enjoyed
having Tamami become part of our family," said Beatrice Hwong. "By sharing
everyday activities, my family and Tamami have learned from each other,
culturally and personally."
About The Siemens Artists in Residence Program
The Siemens Artist-in-Residence Program, a joint initiative between
Siemens Corporation and the Siemens Arts Program in Munich, Germany, awards
scholarships to musical composers from Asian and European countries along the
ancient 'Silk Road' trade routes. These Artists-in-Residence live for two
months with the family of a Siemens employee. The visiting musicians work
from special composition studios in Siemens facilities across the U.S. The
program affords artists the opportunity to study American culture, find
inspiration in their everyday experience of industry, demonstrate their art in
a new culture, and share their work and culture within their new communities.
During their U.S. stay, artists are encouraged to display their talents at
various community events, as well as scheduled gatherings during the workday.
"The Artist-in-Residence Program echoes one of the company's core values,
which is to foster a global network of cultures and people from around the
world," said Klaus Kleinfeld, president and chief executive officer of Siemens
Corporation. "The residency of our first composer, Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky, was
a tremendous success," Mr. Kleinfeld, added. "We are pleased about Ms. Tono's
residence, as it's an example of how cultures can gain a better understanding
of one another, simply by sharing the gift of music."
"We are trying to connect people emotionally," said Yo-Yo Ma. "That's the
cultural work of the Silk Road project and the Siemens Artist-in-Residence
Program."
The next participant in the Siemens Artist-In-Residence Program is Kim
Ngoc, from Vietnam. Her residency will begin in July 2003.
About The Silk Road Project
The Silk Road Project, Inc. is a not-for-profit arts organization founded
in 1998 by Mr. Ma. The purpose of the Silk Road Project is to illuminate the
Silk Road's historical contribution to the cross-cultural diffusion of arts,
technologies, and musical traditions, identify the voices that best represent
its cultural legacy today, and support innovative collaborations among
outstanding artists from the lands of the Silk Road and the West. The Project
has had extraordinary support from the private sector. In addition to Siemens,
Ford Motor Company is the other Global Corporate Partner of the Silk Road
Project. Sony Classical is the founding supporter. For more information on
the Silk Road Project go to http://www.silkroadproject.org.
About the Japan Society
The Japan Society, founded in 1907, is an American institution that brings
Japan into the mainstream of American consciousness through programming that
emphasizes educating the general public, influential leaders and opinion
makers. It is a private, nonprofit, nonpolitical organization devoted to
cultural, educational, and public affairs, and to discussions, exchanges, and
research in areas of vital interest to both countries. The Society's goal is
to be the premier cultural, educational and policy institution focusing on
Japan and U.S.-Japan relations in a global, 21st-century context. For more
information, please visit http://www.japansociety.org.
About Siemens
Siemens AG (NYSE: SI), headquartered in Munich, is a leading global
electronics and engineering company. Siemens and its subsidiaries employ
426,000 people in 192 countries and reported worldwide sales of $77.8 billion
in fiscal 2002 (10/1/01 - 9/30/02). The United States is Siemens' largest
market in the world, with 14 of Siemens' worldwide businesses headquartered
here and annual sales of $21.5 billion in fiscal 2002. The Siemens companies
in the U.S. employ approximately 70,000 people in all 50 states and Puerto
Rico. Corporate headquarters for Siemens' U.S. businesses are located in New
York City. For more information: http://www.usa.siemens.com.
SOURCE Siemens
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.usa.siemens.com
http://www.japansociety.org
http://www.silkroadproject.org
Photo Notes:http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20021029/SILOGO
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/000728.html
CONTACT:
Michael McCauley of Siemens Corporation,
+1-732-906-3855, michael.mccauley@siemens.com; or Michiko Hirano
of Japan Society, +1-212-715-1265, mhirano@japansociety.org
|
