Singers and instrumentalists from Scottish Opera, the RSAMD and the University of Glasgow are to performed on Sunday to raise funds to help Japanese people affected by the tsunami.

The benefit concert - held in The Glasgow University Chapel - raised a total of £1596.79 including £148.41 from the sale of baking and a further £50 from people who watched the concert via the chapel webcam.

Scottish Opera emerging artists, Marie Claire Breen; Michel de Souza; Rebecca Afonwy-Jones; Scottish Guitarist, Sean Shibe; Organist, Michael Bawtree; Armenian violinist, Ani Batikian; and Glasgow University Choir with Chorus Master, James Grossmith performed an operatic repertoire and songs of Scotland and Japan including extracts from the Faure Requiem and Japanese choir pieces.

Principal of the University of Glasgow, Professor Anton Muscatelli said: “The University has offered its deepest sympathy and practical support to all its Japanese students and staff who have been affected by the devastation and terrible loss of life in the events following the earthquake in Japan. The concert is a further opportunity for the University and the wider community to show its support for Japan during this crisis.”    

Sean Shibe, 19, who just became the youngest winner of the Royal Over-Seas League String Award, said : "As a child growing up in Scotland with an British father and a Japanese mother, I was ever aware of the similarities and differences of the two nations. Both are countries proudly steeped in culture of very difference kinds. I often visit Japan, and even in childhood always ended up remembering those shrines of Kyoto, skyscrapers of Tokyo, and the million other wonders that my then-unappreciative eyes ended up permanently capturing.

“But as soon as nature shrugs, humanity's achievements can be blown to dust, forgotten in that second it takes for devastation to be realised. We only have to read a newspaper to realise that lives are only ever one step from complete chaos - not only in this past fortnight, but on any day. All of us must understand that, situations aside, we share this commonality, we hold this similarity - and we should act upon this empathy."

Scottish Opera/RSAMD Repetiteur Fellowship, Ayako Kanazawa said: "I am a survivor of the devastating Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. Not only was the rescue operation difficult but also the reconstruction. It is a frustrating time for all Japanese in the UK all we can do is pray. But with this concert, I want to believe that our performance will have power to help suffering people in my beautiful country."

Concert proceeds will be sent to the British Red Cross who will in turn direct the donation to the Japanese Red Cross at:
http://www.redcross.org.uk/Donate-Now

Further information:
Martin Shannon, Senior Media Relations Officer,
University of Glasgow Tel: 0141 946 1025

First published: 28 March 2011

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