Holsclaw Hall is at 1017 N. Olive Rd. (south of Speedway, east of Park Ave.) in Tucson on the University of Arizona campus.

“The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music will be Sugawa’s first stop on his 2017 United States tour. The master class will feature UA students of Dr. Edward Goodman. The recital will include compositions by composers Giuliano Caccini, Geroge Gershwin, Chick Corea, Johann Sebastian Bach and Takashi Yoshimatsu. This event and tour is made possible by Yamaha.

About the Guest Artist:

One of Japan’s most distinguished saxophonists, Nobuya Sugawa studied at Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music and has always been admired by many young Japanese saxophonists.

Sugawa makes about 100 recital and concert appearances a year and he has recorded more than 25 CDs, including highly acclaimed Takashi Yoshimatsu’s Saxophone Concerto Cyber-bird with BBC Philharmonic (CHANDOS) and MADE IN JAPAN (Toshiba-EMI), the Japanese contemporary works.

He has worked with most of Japan’s leading orchestras, The Philharmonia, BBC Philharmonic, Eastman Wind Ensemble, Orchestra d’Harmonie de la Garde Republicaine, and Aargauer Symphonie Orchester in Switzerland, Wutterbergische Philharmonie in Germany. He is appointed to a concert master of the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra and a resident conductor of Yamaha Symphonic Band.

In 2001, he has worked with NHK Symphony Orchestra on their regular program, conducted by Charles Dutoit. He toured with the jazz bassist Ron Carter in 2000 and with the guitarist Martin Taylor in 2002. In 2003, he played at Musikverein Brahmssaal, Wien. He has also given master classes at music colleges throughout Japan, Europe and the States. Nobuya Sugawa is a Yamaha Performing Artist.
About the Pianist:

Minako Koyanagi is from Niigata prefecture, located in the central area of Japan. Her career as a pianist deserves high praise for her chamber music performances. As the wife of saxophonist Nobuya Sugawa, she has been performing with him for more than 30 years. She has played the piano parts of almost all duo pieces written by Messrs. Takashi Yoshimatsu, Akira Nishimura, Jun Nagao, and many others. Above all, she played as the second-soloist when they performed “Cyber Bird” by Takashi Yoshimatsu with Philharmonia Orchestra. This performance attracted wide attention both in Japan and UK.

Koyanagi has been performing with Sugawa in more than 10 CD albums. Along with Sugawa, doing concerts and teaching master classes, she has worked in countries such as USA, Canada, UK, Italy, France, Netherland, Spain, Austria, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Russia, Mexico, Malaysia, and Thailand.”

“Japanese parents so cherish their sons and daughters that in 1948 they set aside the fifth day of every May as a national holiday to celebrate the health and happiness of their youngsters. Children of all ages and persuasions in Tucson will follow suit on Saturday, May 6, at the fourth annual Children’s Day Festival at Yume Japanese Gardens, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson opened in January 2013 as Southern Arizona’s only authentic Japanese gardens. Each May since, the non-profit has attracted hundreds to its Children’s Day Festival, with traditional Japanese wooden toys, goldfish netting, yukata (summer-weight kimonos) for youngsters to wear, and handicrafts, such as origami (paper folding).

New activities this year include showing children how to make bento: box-shaped containers that are universal in Japan for carrying home-packed meals to school or work. Bento kits, assembly lessons, chopsticks, and rice and other food for the boxes will be for sale for $15.

Additionally, a flamboyantly dressed role-player – personified by Lani Chan (aka Lani Villanueva) – will entertain children as the singing and dancing Miku Hatsune, an anime character and virtual pop star famous in Japan as a “vocaloid,” or humanoid persona voiced by a singing synthesizer application.

Admission to the Festival costs $10 for adults and $3 for children fifteen and under. To fight early summer temperatures, visitors can purchase traditional Japanese foods, such as cold noodles and shaved, flavored ices.

Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson are located at 2130 Alvernon Way, immediately south of the Tucson Botanical Gardens and are open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. It showcases five traditional Japanese garden designs, a large koi pond, a replica traditional Japanese house, and a museum currently featuring an exhibition of classical and contemporary hand-painted Japanese hanging scrolls.”

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For more information on the Children’s Day Festival or the Gardens, call (520) 272-3200, write yume.gardens@gmail.com or visit the Gardens website at yumegardens.org.

May 5 is traditionally considered Boys’ Day in Japanese culture, when we fly koinobori (koi/carp wind socks) to signify the number of boys in a household. “The carp is a symbol of strength, determination, vigor, and success.  Figurines of Japanese warriors and heroes are set up inside the house along with representations of samurai helmets to inspire strength and bravery.”

“Tango no Sekku or Children’s Day is a Japanese national holiday celebrating the healthy growth and development of children, especially boys. The purpose of the holiday is to encourage children to grow to be strong leaders and powerful individuals. Celebrated on May 5^th, Children’s Day became a national holiday in 1948. Prior to that time many people celebrated May 5^th as Boy’s Day.”

Children’s Day doll display will be at the Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures opening on April 25 to May 29, 2017 (4455 E. Camp Lowell Dr.)  Upcoming Children’s day festival at Yume Japanese Gardens on May 6, 2017 (2130 N. Alvernon Way). See our SAJCC Calendar for more details.

“Originally a festival to wish for the health and happiness of boys, Kodomo no Hi, or Children’s Day, as it is now called, honors all children with traditional decorations and activities.” Favorite foods are prepared in honor of the boys in the household.

Happy Boys’ Day/Children’s Day 2017. May 5 is still Boys’ Day in Hawaii, and many koi are flown above homes.

Koi owned by Stephan Classen, only son of the Editor, photo courtesy of Carolyn Classen