Message from Tsuruga Wakasanojo

(from the printed program, February 25, 2018, student recital)

The year flew by, didn’t it. It’s again the season for the first performance of the year.
Last year, my health deteriorated, and I took some time off to get back into shape. Even so, I was active, presenting a recital and performing in various places in Japan and also in Spain. I wrote a new work, and I performed on NHK-FM radio. I was so busy that I almost forgot how old I am.
In the beginning of February, for the first time in decades, I got the flu, but this year, too, I am planning various performances.
Probably you’ve seen the Kagurazaka Community Magazine, “Kaguramura”. Up to now, they’ve published 96 issues. The magazine should be considered a treasure of Kagurazaka. I’ve contributed 30 essays, more than half of which are about my experiences on overseas tours.
Unfortunately, the magazine will cease publication after its 100th issue. My remaining four essays will be titled, “Thoughts about the ABC’s of the Shinnai Genre”. I plan to write about my knowledge of the art of shinnai and how to approach it, on the basis of my more than 60 years of performing shinnai. I hope that you’ll enjoy these articles.
Today’s concert, which is the first concert for this year, is mainly intended to display the results of my students’ enthusiastic practice, but I also welcome as a special guest Gen Goro, a famous performer of the street entertainment Gama no Abura. Please enjoy his art, which will take you back to the Showa period.
My youngest grandson will be performing shinnai on stage for the first time today. He’s still an elementary school second grader. He and his oldest brother, who is in the eighth grade, will perform Ran’cho.
Although today’s performance is long, please enjoy it to the end. Thank you for coming today.