Concert
Club The Mammoth Japanese Night

14 June 2009, 20:00pm
Catch, 22 Kingsland Road, London E2 8DA
Free Entry

A night of Japanese Rock music in London featuring N'Shukugawa Boys, Bo Ningen, Lot Lizards, Hanjiro and DJs Kamikaze UT and Meg Slim. For more information visit www.myspace.com/clubthemammoth

Concert
Violinist Arisa Fujita and the Corinthian Chamber Orchestra

Saturday 20th June, 2009, 6:30pm, St. James's, 197 Piccadilly, London W1J 9LL
http://www.corinthianorchestra.org.uk

Multiple prize-winning Japanese violinist Arisa Fujita (of the Fujita Piano Trio) will play Mozart's exquisite 3rd violin concerto in a programme which also includes Milhaud's jazzy masterpiece Le boeuf sur le toit, and Dvorak's powerful and Brahmsian seventh symphony.

Theatre
Looking for Yoghurt

15-30 May 2009, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Centenary Square, Birmingham B1 2EP

Box office: 0121 2364455

www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

2-4 June 2009, Peepul Centre Orchardson Avenue, Leicester LE4 6DP

Box office: 0116 261 6000

www.peepularts.com

A new play for 6+ years, Norang lives in a big city and has lost her friend - a stray cat called Yoghurt - who has disappeared into a dangerous building site just as the sun is setting. Should she give up on her friend or take her chances and follow the cat into a forbidden world full of monsters and machines? She takes a deep breath and squeezes under the fence��Behind the fence, Norang meets two other children and together they explore a strange, shadowy, enchanted world. It is the beginning of a fantastic adventure.

Looking For Yoghurt is a unique collaboration between performers and artists from the UK, Japan and Korea, bringing their cultures, skills and languages together. Featuring energetic physical performances, original live music and comic invention this funny and moving play is inspired by the imagination and wisdom of children, their fears for the world and their hopes for a brighter future.

Concert

Takeichiro Hirai & Motoki Hirai Europe Tour 2009

Monday 8, June 2009, Wigmore Hall, 36 Wigmore Street, London, W1U 28P

www.motoki-hirai.com

Cellist Takeichiro Hirai (1937-) returns to the UK, giving a duo recital at the Wigmore Hall with his pianist son Motoki Hirai. Takeichiro is also acknowledged as the most celebrated disciple of Pablo Casals (1876-1973), the greatest cellist of the 20th century. The duo will be touring in Europe, performing in 6 countries (UK, Denmark, Spain, Romania, Bulgaria and France) in June 2009.

Takeichiro and Motoki will perform the classical repertoire for cello and piano such as Bach, Beethoven, Schumann, Granados and Casals, whilst featuring two UK premieres, Kozaburo Hirai��s ��Narayama��, as well as critically acclaimed Fantasy ��Hokusai�� for solo cello composedby Takeichiro himself, inspired by the life and works of Japan��s most influential artist ever.

Pianist Motoki Hirai

www.mugenkyo.com

Mugenkyo is Europe's foremost exponent of the exciting and dynamic art of Taiko (Japanese drumming). The group was established in 1994 on their return to Britain after two years of intensive training on the west coast of Japan, under Taiko master Masaaki Kurumaya. Using powerful Taiko rhythms, gentle percussion, costume and highly choreographed movement, Mugenkyo have developed a style of drumming with international appeal.

Tour dates