Happy Return to Japan

It was touch and go as to whether Douglas Bostock's trip to Japan, planned for the end of April would be possible, considering that one concert has been cancelled due to the pandemic and in light of the State of Emergency in Japan by which foreigners may not enter the country. Thanks to the huge effort by Douglas' manager, Yutaka Egami of Egami Arts Office in Tokyo, and the support of the Japanese Ministry of Culture ("Bukacho") the trip was confirmed just a few days in advance. A visa was hastily issued and the trip began on 24th April, lasting four weeks.

After an initial period of quarantine in Tokyo, Douglas flew down to the southern most of the Japanese main islands, Kyushu for a concert with the Kyushu Wind Orchestra - an up and coming professional ensemble - the the wonderful Acros Symphony Hall in Fukuoka. Then, back in Tokyo, Douglas held a workshop on "British Style in Music" at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, where he has been a Visiting Professor since 1999. The concert in Kyushu was a great success and a welcome return to the stage for a performance in front of a large live audience. The music students at Senzoku Gakuen and their professor, Yasuhide Ito, were glad to see Douglas back again.

It was a very happy return to Japan, after more than a year. The previous visit for a production of Mozart's "Figaro" at the New National Theatre Tokyo had ended at the beginning of March 2020, just as the pandemic was emerging.