Enjoying French Classical Music at the NHK Hall

On Friday evening, May 19, 11 international students gathered at the NHK Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo, for a regular concert of the NHK Symphony Orchestra. The evening featured French music composed in the 19th century. As part of its social contribution activities, the NHK Symphony Orchestra invites international students from abroad free of charge. International students from the University of Tsukuba were first invited last February, and this concert was their third invitation.

The concert program was Piano Concerto No.5 "Egyptian" by Saint-Saens, and Symphony in D minor by Franck under the direction of Fabio Luisi, the orchestra's Chief Conductor. The piano soloist for the Saint-Saens concerto was the French virtuoso pianist Pascal Rogé. After the performance, Erik Satie's Gymnopédie No.1 was played as an encore. This solo piece is very famous, and you may have heard it somewhere before.

It was raining in Tokyo that day, but international students who took the train from Tsukuba rushed to the NHK Hall. The NHK Symphony Orchestra is kindly planning to invite international students again in June. For more information, please visit the website of the Student Support Center.