Message from Tsuruga Wakasanojo

(From the printed program at the March 1, 2014, recital of his students)

Thank you very much for coming today.

We had a lot of snow, didn’t we. I had to work diligently to shovel snow for the first time in a long time.

This year, for the first time in 5 years, I will introduce new natori at a concert at the National Theatre. There will probably be 6 or 7 new natori (students who have been given a shinnai name).

As shinnai is a type of joururi, each number is very long and requires patience to master. But all the students have worked very hard.

In May, I will hold a formal natori ceremony. In that ceremony, the new natori will be given a certificate that has the traditional names of the Tsuruga school of shinnai written on it, have dinner with the iemoto, and join the Tsuruga professional family, which has continued for 300 years. The ceremony will be conducted in a solemn atmosphere in front of a hanging scroll that was handwritten by Tsuruga Wakasanojo I.

In the event at the National Theatre, in addition to the announcement of new natori, we will be performing many enjoyable works, so please come.

Besides that, there will be many other concerts which we hope that you will attend.

Tsuruga Wakasanojo’s Concert
Place: National Theatre
Date: October 26 (Sunday), 2014