Oct. 10, 2012
TMC to Hold 34th Toyota Lobby Concert
Arts and Crafts to be Displayed, Sold as Part of Kokoro Hakobu Project
Toyota City, Japan, October 10, 2012―Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), as part of its social contribution activities, will hold its 34th Toyota Lobby Concert on December 11 in the first-floor lobby of its Tokyo Head Office in Koraku, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo. The Toyota Lobby Concert, held since 1995, is being conducted as part of the Kokoro Hakobu Project, an initiative begun last year to assist the recovery of the Tohoku region following the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.
This winter's concert will feature up-and-coming classical guitar duo Ichimujin and Argentine tango band Chicos De Pampa, who are known for their lively, powerful performances. The two acts will deliver an event appropriate for the Christmas season.
In addition, Christmas decorations and other crafts handmade by women living in temporary housing units in Miyagi Prefecture and at volunteer centers in Fukushima Prefecture will be displayed and sold at the concert venue also as part of TMC's ongoing Kokoro Hakobu Project.
The Toyota Lobby Concert is conducted to provide people in nursing-care facilities near the TMC Tokyo Head Office as well as nearby residents with an opportunity to enjoy a quality live musical performance. Volunteers from TMC, with the assistance of the local community, organize the concerts.
TMC will provide 360 complimentary tickets to residents of nursing-care facilities nearby its Tokyo Head Office as well as the general public. Those wishing to receive tickets should follow the instructions in the following table to apply. Tickets will be sent to successful applicants by mail around November 29.
| Date | December 11, 2012 |
| 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 | Ichimujin (classical guitar duo) Chicos De Pampa (Argentine tango band) |
| Host | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| Assistance | Tokyo Voluntary Action Center, Bunkyo Voluntary Action Center, NPO Echo, NPO Paralympic Caravan |
| Planning and production support |
MINFAPLAN |
| Tickets | Number of tickets: 360 To apply online, fill out application at http://www.toyota.co.jp/lobby_concert/ (Japanese language only). To apply by mail, send postcard with name, address, age, telephone number and number of tickets desired (1 or 2) to: Toyota Motor Corporation Corporate Citizenship Div. (Toyota Lobby Concert) 1-4-18 Koraku, Bunkyo-ku, 112-8701 Ticket applications close on November 21. Postcards must be postmarked this date or earlier. |
Ichimujin
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Formed during their time at the Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music, Ichimujin, the young classical guitar duo of Yasuhito Udaka and Shunsuke Yamashita from Kochi Prefecture, are gaining attention as the rising stars of a new generation of classical guitarists.
After winning the 16th Japan Guitar Chamber Music Competition, the duo made their major debut on the Pony Canyon record label with the album Rui in 2006. Ichimujin gained further attention after their music was featured in soundtracks of several television programs and movies, including NHK's morning serial Tsubasa, Fuji Television's drama Unfair, the movie Shizumanu Taiyou, and as the theme song for NHK's period drama Ryomaden. Their inventive guitar sound, which has crossed over from the boundaries of classical music into film and original music, has won them a wide fan base. Ichimujin has also played an increasing number of overseas shows. In 2011 the duo played at the Ryoma Symposium in New York and Hawaii, and performed in Taiwan in 2012. In 2012, they released a greatest hits album entitled Ichimujin. The unit's name "Ichimujin" means "with heart and soul" in the local Kochi dialect of Japan. |
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A 4-piece―bandoneón, violin, piano and double bass―Argentine tango band comprised of talented young members from the full-sized group Yuzo Saito y su Orquesta Tipica Pampa.
Carrying on the style of the "King of the Beat" Juan d'Arienzo and his band, Chicos De Pampa have distinguished themselves with their tight beats and sharply-executed performances. Their music maintains the traditional style of the Argentine tango while adding a fresh twist, and the band has earned a reputation for its high technical skill and the excellence of the ensemble as a whole. Based in Tokyo, Chicos de Pampa have performed at several locations around Japan, and appeared at events such as Shichigahama Kokusaimura International Days 2007: Argentina, Hamamatsu Museum of Musical Instruments Lecture Concerts, and the 2011 Tokyo International Tango Festival. The band has also performed annually at the Kanagawa Charity Concert since 2006 to wide acclaim. In addition to their regular performances at Blues Alley Japan in Meguro, Tokyo two to three times per year, the group puts on a variety of high-energy shows and concerts to introduce new audiences to the passion of traditional Argentine tango music. |
