Grown-up pianists play toy pianos live in Tokyo

Vintage and modern toy pianos from the United States and Japan .

Many small children first learn to play music by improvising on toy pianos, but what happens when "big" pianists bring sophisticated skills to little keyboards? Witness Japan 's first toy piano event especially for Japanese piano improvisers/composers. The concert titled, "Little Pianos, Big Pianists," will be held in Tokyo 's Mon-naka Tenjo Hall on Sept. 29.

Noted Japanese piano improvisers/composers playing in the concert will include: Hiraku Amemiya, an original member of the New Jazz Syndicate now performing with his own jazz trio; Yoko Arai, whose contemporary works unite Asian and Western influences; Toshiya Nakamizo, who organizes and plays with many improvisational groups in Tokyo, and Takuji Kawai, who has composed a new work for four toy pianos that will debut at this concert. (Detailed profiles follow.)

Yoko Arai plays a vintage U.S. Jaymar toy piano.

Little pianos in the concert will include several antique Japanese instruments (1940s-1950s), a modern Kawai model from Japan, a vintage U.S. Jaymar tabletop piano (1950s-1960s), and a new Elite Baby Grand from Schoenhut U.S.A. Ranging from 10 to 37 keys, these charming instruments produce an impressive range of pleasant musical sounds from deep bell tones to chiming effects, made by tiny hammers striking metal rods. A small Steinway piano will also be played, providing the comparison of its string piano sounds. All toy pianos are owned by the performers.

Once considered a child's plaything, the toy piano is now prized by children, adults, collectors, and musicians worldwide. It was featured in John Cage's "Suite for Toy Piano" (1948) and in recent performances and recordings by the celebrated concert pianist Margaret Leng Tan - inspiring new fans, performers, and composers.

Takuji Kawai plays a modern US Schoenhut Elite Baby Grand toy piano.

Date: Sept. 29 (Sat.), hall opens at 2 p.m. , concert 2:30 p.m.-4 p.m.

Charge: 2,500 yen at door, 2,000 yen in advance

Venue: Mon-naka Tenjo Hall, 1-20-3-8F Monzen-nakacho, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0048(http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~monten/). A 3-minute walk from Exit 3 of Tokyo Metro Monzen-nakacho Station or 1-minute walk from Exit 6 of Toei Ooedo Line Monzen-nakacho Station. No parking space available.

Inquiries: kotoriyakobo@yahoo.co.jp or call 090-2170-2519 (Please leave message if answering machine is activated.)

Toy piano photo / card / map / details in Japanese: http://www.archivelago.com/download/toypianos.htmlMore on toy pianos: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toy_piano

Profiles of the performing artists:

Hiraku Amemiya with Takuji Kawai on bowls and Toshiya Nakamizo playing a Schoenhut toy piano.

-- Hiraku Amemiya started his musical career in the early 1970s as a free jazz improviser. One of the founding members of New Jazz Syndicate, he has performed with numerous international musicians. Currently, he plays with his own trio and regularly participates in Fujikawa Yoshiaki's Free Jazz Workshop and performs with the Komiya Ichiyu Quartet. He has released a CD collection of piano improvisations entitled "Tambo" and will release a new CD featuring his trio.

-- Yoko Arai started her musical career during college, majoring in piano performance and studying composition with accomplished composer Joji Yuasa. Besides Western music, she has also studied and practiced Asian classical music. Since the late 1990s, she has been an active improviser in "free music," a composer and performer of her own works, a recital pianist of contemporary works, concert arranger, NPO music project participant, and ensemble player working with various groups of contemporary and experimental musicians and artists. She combines Western and Asian influences in her works, drawing free tones from conventional keyboards and seeks unique organic creations.

-- Toshiya Nakamizo has been involved in improvisation since 1982, when he organized a unit called "Arkas' Kophino" for a high school festival, and then pursued piano and orchestral performance and oboe study during university. From 1988 to 1994, he studied oboe, ensemble music, and composition in New York , receiving a Master's Degree from Manhattan School of Music in 1992. Since returning to Japan , he has organized and recorded many project-based improvisational events from 1998, including his groups "The Committee of 39" and "Monju-ren" trio. In addition to his compositions, he improvises in performance on piano, oboe, and English horn.

-- Takuji Kawai started studying classical piano at age 4, and has been an active pianist/improviser from the late 1980s. In 1991, he received a Master's Degree in Musicology from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, and presented a solo performance of his own works in 1999. Mr. Kawai has released several CDs, including "Jewelry" (compositions, 2000) and "Piano Plateaux" (solo improvisations, 2001), and has collaborated frequently with dancers, poets, and artists. Among his recent projects are solo piano concerts entitled "Piano Real," and commissioned compositions including "HAN-KA-SEI" (for chamber orchestra, 2004) and "Organza" (for pipe organ, 2005). His original new work for four toy pianos will premiere at this concert.

A Japanese blown glass shinobue called "The Tsulala" (The Icicle) and singing bowls.

-- Emyu is a flute improviser. She studied in the U.S. with Margerie Valeta, a pupil of Marcel Moyse, and has been improvising with various groups in Tokyo since about 2001. She plays vintage and experimental instruments, including a Japanese glass "shinobue" called the "Tsulala" (icicle). She sometimes plays toy piano, and she arranged and performed a work "Church Bells for Toy Piano" (2002) based on "change ringing."

September 25, 2007