Stars shine for world peace

Oct 2 2009 by Our Correspondent, Dumfries Standard Friday

MUSICIANS from two cultures came together at DG One in a spectacular multi-national concert of world-class music and song.

The second Global Peace Concert, which took place on Friday, September 17, was a star-studded affair that combined the exceptional talents of Japanese and Scottish musicians.

The event celebrated the United Nations International Day of Peace, Japan/Uk 150 (the 150th anniversary of Japan opening its doors for diplomatic relations with UK), the Homecoming and Dumfries and Galloway and marked a spectacular finale to National Diversity Week

South of Scotland MSP and Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution Mike Russell delivered the evening’s opening speech, he said: “The World Peace Prayer Society has done a wonderful job assembling such an array of international and local talent for this evening.

“Caroline, Uma and the rest of the team at Allanton have managed in this one event to symbolise a Scotland that I am proud to be part of.

“Tonight we are privileged to see a Scotland that shares our experiences and talents with the rest of the world and in turn embraces those talents from abroad.

“Who would have thought the bagpipes and Taiko drumming would go together so well?

“The three strands that tonight brings together, Homecoming 2009, Japan 150 and Dumfries and Galloway's Diversity week is a proud reminder that we are not one Scotland, but many.”

The evening started with a bang with Joji Hirota and the Taiko drummers giving a spectacular performance – followed by Gary West on the pipes and Wendy Stewart on the harp.

This led to Nicky Spence introducing Clara Belle (Clare Uchima).

Nicky and Clare were in the same class together at Wallace Hall Academy.

The first half was completed by Joji playing the shakuhachi flute and singing a Japanese traditional song.

After the interval, the World Peace Flag Ceremony took place with all the flags of the world being carried on stage by pupils from Sanquhar Academy, Wallace Hall Academy and Kelloholm Primary school.

During the ceremony, Ali Burns and the Feral Choir performed We are all Under the Stars, a song written by Ali and inspired by previous flag ceremonies.

After this, former school buddies Nicky Spence and Clare Uchima gave a short “skit” on their time together in Dumfries, before they both went to London to study music.

Hikaru Yoshiyama, master concert pianist of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, then amazed his audience before Nicky Spence joined him on stage to sing four songs – his powerful voice filling the whole of DG One.

The audience was then treated to a superb duet by Hikaru Yoshiyama (piano) and Masayuki Kino (violin).

Masayuki Kino then introduced his daughter Anna Hashimoto who, at 15 years old, has already performed as soloist on her clarinet for the English Chamber Orchestra.

All musicians came together on stage for a rousing Auld Lang Syne, a song that links the cultures of Japan and Scotland, as this is one of the songs most played in Japan.

This concert is the second one organised by the World Peace Prayer Society, who are based at Allanton World Peace Sanctuary, Auldgirth.