Honoring the 35th anniversary of the reunification of Germany, the Min-On Concert Association invited Pangaea Trio Berlin to Japan to perform from February 25 to March 9. Members of the illustrious Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the trio is made up of Marlene Ito, the 1st Principal of the 2nd Violins who was born in Japan and raised in Australia; Belarussian celloist Uladzimir Sinkevich; and French pianist Yannick Rafalimanana.
The trio chose to call themselves “Pangaea”—the ancient supercontinent created by what would become modern-day continents—as they hail from different cultural backgrounds but are united in their music.
Having arrived on February 24, the trio opened their first concert in Kagoshima prefecture the very next day, where they performed such classical favorites as Rakhmaninov’s Vocalise Op.34-14; Dvořák’s Piano Trio No. 4 “Dumky,” Op. 90, B166; Brahms’s The Piano Trio No. 3 in C minor, Op. 101; and Ravel’s Piano Trio M.67.
On March 5, the three called on Min-On, where they were welcomed by President Koji Yamaguchi and other association officials. Ms. Ito shared that the tour had thus far been a moving experience as they forged a special bond with Japanese audiences through their music. They later toured the Min-On Music Museum’s collection of classic pianos and music boxes. That night, the trio performed at the Bunkyo Civic Hall in Tokyo, which was attended by representatives from three diplomatic missions, including the Federal Republic of Germany.
They concluded their Japan tour at Saitama prefecture on March 9, a finale that reaffirmed the importance of sharing the finest classical compositions with a general audience.
Min-On expresses its deep appreciation to the generous cooperation and support of numerous individuals and organizations that made the Pangaea Trio Berlin tour a resounding success.
