May. 23, 2014

Toyota to Hold 37th Tokyo Lobby Concert

Art Works to Be Displayed and Sold to Support Tohoku Region Recovery

Toyota City, Japan, May 23, 2014―Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), as part of its social contribution activities, will hold its 37th Toyota Lobby Concert on July 23 in the first-floor lobby of its Tokyo Head Office. The concert, part of a series of concerts held regularly since 1995, is being conducted as part of the Kokoro Hakobu Project, an initiative started in 2011 to assist the recovery of the Tohoku region following the Great East Japan Earthquake that year.

The concert, under the theme “bringing smiles”, will feature classical pianist Shinya Kiyozuka, who performs across Japan and is active in television and film, as the main artist and Mei Kaneko, a young player of the Paraguayan harp with a refreshing sound suitable for the summer season, as the opening act.

At the concert venue, works of art created by young artists living in Fukushima Prefecture as well as small crafts made by women living in temporary housing in Miyagi Prefecture will be displayed and sold to support recovery of the Tohoku region.

Toyota will provide complimentary tickets to 360 residents of nursing-care facilities located near its Tokyo Head Office, as well as to members of the general public.

37th Toyota Lobby Concert – “Bringing Smiles”

Date	July 23, 2014
Time	18:30 to 20:00 (venue opens at 17:45)
Venue	1st floor lobby, Toyota Motor Corporation Tokyo Head Office, 1-4-18 Koraku, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Performers	Shinya Kiyozuka (piano), Shohei Yamamoto (violin), Mei Kanako (Paraguayan harp)
Host	Toyota Motor Corporation
Assistance	Tokyo Voluntary Action Center, Bunkyo Voluntary Action Center, NPO Echo, Bikki Children’s Fund, and Karamari
Planning and production support	MINFAPLAN
Tickets	Number of tickets: 360 To apply online, fill out an application at http://www.toyota.co.jp/lobby_concert/ (Japanese language only). To apply by mail, send a postcard with your name, address, age, telephone number, email address and number of tickets desired (up to two per attendee) to: Corporate Citizenship Div. (Toyota Lobby Concert) Toyota Motor Corporation 1-4-18 Koraku, Bunkyo-ku, 112-8701 Applications close on July 3 (postcards must arrive on or before).

Performer Profiles

Shinya Kiyozuka (Piano)

Shinya Kiyozuka enjoys considerable popularity as a multifaceted pianist in the classical music world. He has won numerous awards in domestic and overseas competitions including first place in the International Chopin Piano Competition in Asia. He has studied under Hiroko Nakamura, Nobuyoshi Kato, and Sergei Dorensky. Kiyozuka appeared in the TV drama “Nodame Cantabile” and the film “Shindo” as a stand-in and performed the theme song for the NHK Taiga drama “Ryomaden Kiko.” His humorous narratives and delicate and dynamic performances have captivated audiences across Japan. He maintains a very busy performance schedule that includes more than 120 recitals and appearances with orchestras each year, appearances on television variety shows such as “Tsukaeru Geinojin wa Dare da?! Pressure Battle!” (Which Artists Are the Most Talented? Pressure Battle!) and “Job Tune” and is active in various other genres such writing serialized essays and appearing on radio programs. Kiyozuka has released eight CDs as well as books, manuals, and sheet music collections. He made his acting debut playing Yosuke Misaki in “Sayonara, Debussy,” which played in theaters nationwide in January 2013. His first live performance DVD Shinya Kiyozuka－The Live was released in February 2014.

Shohei Yamamoto (Violin)

Shohei Yamamoto completed postgraduate studies at Toho Gakuen School of Music. He entered the 48th Mainichi Competition, and came in third place in the third Toshiya Eto Violin Competition in the junior artist division. Yamamoto performed in the Concert Caravan sponsored by Seiji Ozawa and Mstislav Rostropovich and in the Empress’ seventieth birthday celebratory concert sponsored by Mstislav Rostropovich. In 2006, he participated in the Seiji Ozawa Music School. He has studied under Reiko Uenishi, Rikako Yoneda, Toshiya Eto, Angela Eto, Hamao Fujiwara, and Eiji Arai. In 2007, he became a member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and is currently associate principal second violinist.

Opening Act

Mei Kaneko (Paraguayan Harp)

Mei Kaneko began playing the Paraguayan Harp at age 11. In 2004, she won the silver prize at the Pre-festival Para Guarambare, and in 2007 she won the outstanding performance award at the 19th Asian International Culture and Arts Festival. In July and August 2007, Kaneko took a short-term harp course, studying under Celso Duarte, a Paraguayan harp virtuoso. In October 2007, she became the youngest performer to win the Kawaguchi Culture Prize when she was awarded the 21st Culture Promotion Prize (for music). She won the gold prize in the Seventh All Japan Paraguayan Harp Competition 2009, a life-long dream, in November. In December 2009, Kaneko participated in the Paraguayan Harp Festival. She spent October and November 2010 in Paraguay and appeared in the World Paraguayan Harp Festival. She also came in first place in the Guarambare Festival 2010 harp division. Kaneko has studied under Cesar Cataldo, Martin Portillo, Aparicio Gonzalez, Papi Galan, and Mika Agematsu. She graduated from Seisen University with a degree in Spanish language and culture in March 2013. She released her debut album, Primero, in June 2013.