The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Janelle Gelfand writes about the fantastic tour that was.  Click here to read her article.

The Enquirer’s Janelle Gelfand reviews the final two CSO concerts of the 2009 Japan Tour.  Read it here.

Paavo Jarvi and five members of the Cincinnati Symphony conducted a kind of mini-residency in Yokohama this week, giving, besides their concert in Minato Mirai Hall, a two-hour presentation about American music for a select group of  invited music students, teachers and other members of the Yokohama music community.  Read about it on Janelle Gefland’s Cincinnati.com blog.

The CSO’s amazing tour of Japan has concluded and the Orchestra is flying across the Pacific today.  There is still more content to share from the last two days in Yokohama and Tokyo.  Please stay tuned for videos, photos and blog posts.

It’s a gorgeous day in Yokohama and my touch of homesickness is suddenly replaced with the desire to extend our trip.  As we gear up for our final concert in Suntory Hall (for relaxing times…), I reflect on our first day in Tokyo.  Still reeling from jet lag, we bumped our way to the stage like marbles on a taxi cab floor.   I could hardly think and I stared at the music through the gauzy prism of raindrops on my eyelashes.  Then the light came up and we rose to the welcoming applause as the maestro joined us on stage.  Somehow, as though from the earth itself, strength and clarity returned to me in that moment and I know I was not alone.  We performed and they loved it.

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Click here to view a gallery of Kimimasa Mayama’s fantastic photos of the CSO performing at Suntory Hall on November 1 with Sayaka Shoji.

The CSO was exited to have 20 fans from back home make the trek to Tokyo to hear the Orchestra perform at Suntory Hall on Sunday afternoon.  Read about it on Janelle Gelfand’s Cincinnati.com blog.