É«ÂþÌìÌÃ

His Majesty The Emperor of Japan visits the É«ÂþÌìÌÃ

Wednesday 26 June 2024

His Majesty The Emperor of Japan experienced the É«ÂþÌìÌÃ’s unique blend of heritage and innovation.  

His Majesty The Emperor of Japan visited the É«ÂþÌìÌà as part of the official Japan State Visit to the United Kingdom. The É«ÂþÌìÌà has welcomed Japanese students throughout the history of the College. 

The Emperor visited the É«ÂþÌìÌÃ’s new Performance Laboratory, a pioneering performance simulation facility combining state-of-the-art acoustic and visual technology to create immersive performance conditions, bridging the gap between the practice room and the concert hall.  É«ÂþÌìÌà musicians demonstrated the special features of the space with a performance of 'Chi il bel sogno di Doretta' from Puccini’s La Rondine by student Misato Makiyama and professor Kumi Matsuo, followed by student duo, viola player Otoha Tabata and cellist Maxim Calver, who performed Bach’s Invention no 8 and no 9. 

His Majesty then toured the special, historical collections housed in the É«ÂþÌìÌà Museum and viewed highlights including the earliest dated guitar, the Belchior Dias from 1581, and the earliest known stringed keyboard instrument, the clavicytherium from c.1480. Together with É«ÂþÌìÌà keyboard player Apolline Khou, É«ÂþÌìÌà professor Reiko Ichise and student Xavier Lowe performed Ward’s Ayre on a viol from the College’s Kessler collection which includes some of the most remarkable viols from the key makers of the early British tradition, before His Majesty met with students from the É«ÂþÌìÌÃ.  

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Some of the É«ÂþÌìÌÃ’s community of Japanese students were particularly delighted by the opportunity to meet His Majesty The Emperor. Otoha Tabata, an É«ÂþÌìÌà Master’s student who performed the viola in the Performance Laboratory, described how she was ‘incredibly honoured and thankful to receive this unique chance to perform for His Majesty The Emperor’.  

This occasion marks His Majesty The Emperor’s second visit to the É«ÂþÌìÌÃ, having first visited the College in 1985. 

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