Producer Note

We have been organizing the third Sencla, Sencla2008! We haven't changed our first intention that we do best to fully satisfy the audience who are not especiay classic fans. So, we haven't set up any theme or plans that are organizer-oriented.

Music you will hear at Sencla 2008 will be, in addition to most short and well-known pieces just like past Sencla, some longer pieces: Schubert String Quartet, Beethoven Piano Sonata, etc. After 2 past Senclas, I got a feeling that our audience is gradually getting ready for longer or bigger pieces. They may seem so difficult at the first glance, but they may become the precious memory of your life.

In the result of inviting extraordinary artists with strong messages, Sencla 2008 has features as follows:

1 Various Songs
You will hear various songs such as well known Opera arias, Schubert lied, Renaissance, Baroque, Japanese songs, unique original songs written by poets and litterateurs, and etc.

2 Wind of Berlin
Needless to say, Berlin is a special city for Classical Music. You will meet so many artists in Sencla 2008, who is a concert master of an orchestra , or who made his or her debut, or who studied, in the city of Berlin.

3 Fresh Wind from Sendai
Young world-class artists, who were born, or who grew in Sendai such as the Tsugaru Shamisen player who won the first prize of the major Tsugaru Shamisen Competition for 3 years in a row in his teens, and young winners of Sendai International Music Competition, will appear on many stages.

4 Anniversary-Year Composers
Puccini, Messiaen, Sarasate, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Leroy Anderson are the Anniversary-year Composers in 2008.

Festival is a living being. Sencla is also gradually changing and growing. I hope you will enjoy this change which is caused by the encouraged initiative of the audience (the leading part), artists, and staff members.

Sencla Producer
Yo Hirai

CONCEPT

Sendai Will be Transformed into a Musical Theme Park

• For three days, from morning till evening, a total of 101 concerts are scheduled at 10 halls of four venues located near subway stations. Visitors have opportunities to enjoy classical music at times convenient to them, such as before lunch, or on the way home from shopping, anywhere in Sendai.
• The festival offers a new style to appreciate the classical music. Whether a person likes piano, wants to taste the best of orchestra, or simply wants to enjoy that famous piece they heard in a movie, listeners can hop from concert to concert to fit their interests.
• One of the unique aspects of “Sen-Cla” is that the audience can compare and contrast performances of different performers, from world-known maestros to up-and-coming musicians.

Visitors Will find their Favorite Pieces

• At the heart of the formation of "Sen-Cla" are songs familiar to the audience, songs that people might have heard somewhere, songs they wanted to listen to, songs they have memories of—that are performed in 101 various and diverse concerts by artists active inside and outside of Japan. The festival aims at offering concerts where everyone can find at least one piece he or she is familiar with.

Plenty of Mozart's Works

• While the festival does not have any particular idea, it will include many of Mozart's works to commemorate the 250th anniversary of his birth.
• Another unique aspect of "Sen-Cla" will be seeing how different performers approach the same scores of Mozart, such as "Turkish March", one of Mozart's greatest hits.
• Following the idea of "friendly classical music everyone has heard of," the small number of well-known Mozart pieces will be mainly featured, but at all of the 9 concerts you will be able to hear all of Mozart's piano sonatas. Why not try to travel the life of Mozart while listening?

A Festival the Whole Family can Enjoy

• Each concert is 45 minutes including a talk, with a program dedicated to familiar melodies that can be enjoyed anywhere. The whole family can attend, including all children aged 3 years and older.
• Other concerts for small children and expecting mothers are planned, so babies, including infants of less then a year, and expectant mothers have the opportunity to be exposed to live performances in a relaxed environment.
• Nursery services are also available for those who want to enjoy music on their own. (¥500 per child per hour. Reservation required.)

Tickets-Moderately Prced,Easily Purchased

• An advance ticket is priced at ¥1,000 per show, much cheaper than the usual price for tickets to other concerts.
• There are several ways to purchase tickets: over the internet, at the convenience stores or ticket agencies in Japan, and the like. There are also many free concerts.

The "City of music" Supports the Festival

• Musical assets which Sendai, the “City of Music”, has nurtured, such as the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, musicians from Sendai, the Sendai Junior Orchestra, and the NHK Sendai Boys and Girls Choir will play an important role in the festival.

Citizen Volunteers also Participate

• Citizen volunteers are supporting the new classical music scene in Sendai.

Policy to Ensure Transparency

• Signature contents, as well as organizers' methodology, responsibilities, and methods will be clarified as much as possible on the festival's official public website and blog. Your comments and feedback are highly appreciated to make the festival a success.