A salon is a comfortable, intimate space perfect for small concerts and talks, or for the reception of important guests. Indeed, concerts of exquisite chamber music were often held in salons, and hence the genre of European salon music was born.
The Min-On Culture Center in Shinanomachi, Tokyo houses the Min-On Music Museum, and Melody Hall, its grand foyer, functions as a multi-purpose salon. Last year, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of its founding, Min-On initiated a new series of free concerts entitled Min-On Music Museum Salon Concerts that were staged in the Melody Hall. On the Saturday afternoon of February 2, the Music Museum sponsored the second installment of the Salon Concert Series, featuring a performance of upcoming Japanese percussionist duo Chihiro Osawa and Keiko Masaki, who delivered an exquisite marimba performance and afterward gave a talk explaining the instrument.
For the past half century, Min-On has been a mainstay in the three areas of international cultural exchange, concert promotion and public outreach. Of these three, the greatest contributions have been in the field of public outreach—not only in providing admission-free opportunities to experience music in order to raise the general level of music appreciation in Japan but also in nurturing musicians and artists and enabling them to present their finest works and performances at home and abroad. The Min-On Salon Concert will continue to be held every other month throughout the year as part of the outreach program of the Min-On Music Museum.
