The Melting Pot from Boston, a UFRA Charity Concert

On July 12 UFRA sponsored a charity concert at Wave "Chu Hall" to raise money for the victims of the typhoon in Myanmar as well as for refugees living in camps on the border of that country and Thailand. Entitled "The Melting Pot from Boston," the concert featured the talents of Meena Malik, soprano; Aristedes Rivas, cello; and So Oyama, piano, in a top-notch program of classical music from Europe, Latin America and Japan.

The concert certainly lived up to its billing. The three performers, who met and began or are pursuing their careers in Boston, brought a wonderful diversity with them. Ms. Malik (the daughter of UFRA Chairman Emeritus, Rabinder Malik) is of mixed Japanese and Indian parentage and sang in German, Japanese, Italian and Portuguese. Mr. Rivas, who began his classical training and performance career in Venezuela, delighted the audience with the music of Beethoven as well as folk music from his country. Mr. Oyama currently lives in Nagoya but has performed in orchestras and competitions in the USA and Europe.

The program also comprised a melting pot of musical traditions. The first half featured music from German-speaking 19th century Europe: lieder of Schubert and Schuman as well as Beethoven's magnificent 3rd sonata for cello and piano.The second half moved into the 20th century and to other continents as well. Ms. Malik sang songs by Japanese composers Ryutaro Hirota and Kosaku Yamada. Mr. Oyama and Mr. Rivas performed Le Grand Tango by the Argentinean composer Astor Piazolla. And all three performers combined their talents wit h a rendition of Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 by Heitor Villa-Lobos of Brazil. The performers then treated the audience to a couple wonderful encores: an aria by Puccini and some Venezuelan folk music on cello.

The audience at Wave "Chu Hall" at Shopper's Plaza in Shin-Urayasu clearly enjoyed the entire evening. Moreover, I'm certain everyone was satisfied at being able to do something worthwhile to help people in places where such wonderful music is lacking. The funds raised will be donated to UNICEF to help victims of the typhoon in Myanmar and to a program for refugees in camps at the Thai-Myanmar border administered by the United Nations High Commission for the Refugees (UNHCR).