Japan Has Yen for Ukraine

The Japanese Cultural Center officially presented the cultural grant of Yamaha musical instruments for the Symphony Orchestra of the National Philharmonic Society at the Lysenko Hall of Columns in Kyiv in late March.

The event attracted a large audience, including Japanese diplomats, Ukrainian politicians, figures of the arts and culture, high government officials, and media people. The list of guests of honor was topped by First Lady Liudmyla Kuchma. Those present could not only marvel at the instruments on display, but also appreciate their performance during a short impromptu concert after the speeches and other formalities.

“We have received a truly valuable and very timely gift from the Land of the Rising Sun,” stressed Dmytro Ostapenko, NPS general director. “For the most part our musicians have to use their own instruments made by different masters, so it is difficult to achieve proper orchestration, pure overtones and timbre coloration. Not a single Ukrainian symphony orchestra has a complete set of instruments supplied by the same manufacturer.”

59 instruments have been delivered to date, while the grant provides for 120 worth a total of 49,400,000 yen (roughly $470,000), including wind and percussion instruments, two grand pianos, a harp, and a celesta. The final shipment is expected in April. By then the orchestra will have returned from tours of Spain and Germany. A presentation concert is scheduled sometime in May. According to Hitoshi Honda, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine, his country intends to uphold cooperation with Ukraine in various spheres, including humanitarian aid. Ukrainian Minister of Culture Bohdan Stupka shed some light on further projects. The next Japanese grant will be intended for the National Historical Museum, with the Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theater next in line.