Awakening

Sunday 13 April 2025, 4:30pm

CBSO Centre, Birmingham

Tickets: General £18, Student £9, under 12s FREE with a paying adult

Join BCMG and international conductor Kazuki Yamada for a thought-provoking and genre-defying event which draw upon ancient concepts through new music. 

Awakening features the world premiere of a brand-new concerto for the ancient Japanese Shō, written by Dai Fujikura. Fujikura is one of the foremost contemporary voices within Japan and a close friend of the CBSO’s Chief Conductor Kazuki Yamada. His new piece for Shō and ensemble is presented alongside Unsuk Chin’s Xi, which deals with the time-old concept of energy flow, atomic structures, and the construction of large forms using the smallest units of sound.

Pre-Concert Activities for Families 3:00pm - 4:00pm

Meet composer Dai Fujikura, learn a pentatonic melody from folksongs and an anthem, find out about the Shō (笙) (an ancient Japanese reed instrument), and create your own phoenix badge. All in the foyer at CBSO Centre, facilitated by BCMG's Learning Team. 

Pre-Concert Talk at 3:30pm 

CBSO Centre Hall, with Dai Fujikura and BCMG's Artistic Director, Stephan Meier.

What is the Shō?
The Shō (笙) is an ancient Japanese reed instrument descended from the Chinese Sheng. It was introduced to Japan during the
Nara period (AD 710 to 794) and consists of 17 slender bamboo pipes played with breath. 

The instrument is said to imitate the call of a phoenix, with its pipes arranged into two symmetrical ‘wings’. Many contemporary artists have used its distinctive and beautiful sound, including Toru Takemitsu, John Cage and Björk.

Yuki Deai Shō

Kazuki Yamada Conductor (Fujikura / Mochizuki)

Nicolò Foron Conductor (Unsuk Chin)

Dai Fujikura (b.1977) Concerto for Sho and Ensemble (2025) - BCMG Sound Investment World Premiere

Dai Fujikura folksongs and an anthem (2023)

Unsuk Chin (b.1961) Xi for Ensemble and Tape (1998)

Misato Mochizuki (b.1969) Etheric Blueprint (2006)

Dai Fujikura: Concerto for Shō and Ensemble is commissioned by BCMG with the support of the Ernst von Siemens music foundation.

This project is executed in part with a grant from the Kansai Osaka 21st Century Association: https://www.osaka21.or.jp/jecfund/english/

Want to get involved? 

Our wonderful supporters mean we can commission more pieces like Dai's Concerto for Sho. We say thank you by naming them in the score, inviting them to rehearsals, and the world première, where they can meet the composer.

For more info visit www.bcmg.org.uk/soundinvestment. You can support a piece as a one-off through Sound Investment or give monthly through Sound Investment Monthly.

What else is coming up?