” My name is Tsutomu Matsumura. I’m the general manager of the Japan Choral Association. I conducts 13 choruses among which mixed choruses, female choruses and child choruses. All members are amateurs.
First of all, I know from news that France is in a difficult situation. Japan also is in exactly the same situation. Here in Japan we have a self-restraint request that has no legal force, but as a national character, we continuously keep a firm self-restraint.
Here, I would like to give you some information on the status of the Japanese choruses.
First, all rehearsal venues, concert halls, and churches were closed at the end of February and since then, we have not been able to rehearse or get together.
Due to such circumstances, all the scheduled events including a charity concert in March, a competition in April, Mendelssohn’s “Elias” in May, and a choir festival in June, have been cancelled.
Currently, I have a Verdi’s “Requiem” concert to be performed by 400 choruses in total from the 13 choirs of mine scheduled for next February, so I am making a practice video for the concert and distributing it to our members.
