Shimmering Water: 2015

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

about the CD Order

Thank you for being interested in purchasing my CDs that are not available outside of Japan.

Sing to Water - 20 EUR
Smetana-Fukuma : The Moldau
Bizet : Chants du Rhin
Schulz Evler : Concert arabesque on themes of
"On the Beautiful Blue Danube"
Mendelssohn : Venetianisches Gondellied Op.30-6
Chopin : Barcarolle Op.60
Lyadov : Barcarolle Op.44
Schubert - Liszt: Liebesbotschaft,
Die Forelle, Auf dem Wasser zu singen
Sciarrino : Anamorfosi
Kaski : Night by the sea
Baines : The Lone Wreck
Saint-Saëns - Godowski : Le Cygne

Toppan Live - 15 EUR
Haydn : Sonata Hob.XVI 24
Schumann : Carnaval
Faure : Nocturnes No.1&2
Scriabin : Sonata No.3

Liszt : Ab Irato - 15 EUR
Grandes Etudes de Paganini
Trois Etudes de Concert
Etude de Perfectionnement
Zwei Konzertetüden
Rhapsodie espagnole
Liebestraum No.3

Here is the instruction to the CD order.

01.) Please send an email to order@kotarofukuma.com

02.) Indicate your name, the name of the addressee (if it's another person), the shipping address, any special request in your email.

03.) Then you will receive the order confirmation along with the payment information by email within a few days.

04.) As soon as your payment is confirmed, the CD will be posted to the address indicated.

Terms and Conditions:

01.) Payment can only be made through PayPal. We are not able to accept any other form of payment.

02.) The shipping fee will be calculated using German postal rates. Orders going outside of Europe will be sent via airmail. We are not able to send by express mail.

03.) You cannot cancel your order after making your PayPal payment.

04.) CDs are not returnable for refund. If you receive a damaged or otherwise non-functional CD, you may return it at your expense, and we will send you a replacement at our expense.

05.) Your personal information will only be used in connection with your CD purchases and will not be shared with others.

06.) You will be responsible for paying any customs duties, if these should be charged.

If you have any further question, please write an email to order@kotarofukuma.com

Thank you for your comprehension.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Fantasy on Ice 2015

Fantasy on Ice 2015 is over, full of wonderful memories... and I would like to share my very special experience here.
------------------------------------------------On Saturday afternoon's show, we had a problem with the ice rink (they found a couple of holes on the ice), right before my first number with Akiko Suzuki and they had to repair the rink. As it didn't seem to be finished soon, Akiko and I drew backstage. Then I told the stage manager that I could maybe play something solo. And they accepted it.

So I went on the stage and played "Chopin's Ballade No.1". I chose this piece because Yuzuru Hanyu, the Gold medalist of Sochi Olympic games, skated to it in the last season. As I announced the piece, the whole audience got excited. The staff told me that the repairing work would take more than 5 minutes, but in fact they finished it in 4 minutes, so I thought I should cut the piece... It was an unusual experience to think about how I could shorten the piece while I was playing!! Anyway, I managed to make it like within 6 minutes in total. And they gave me a standing ovation as soon as I played the last note. I heard afterwards that Yuzuru was watching my performance and dancing to it at the rinkside. It was already a huge honor for me.

But the story went on, even more exciting. At the dinner on that day, Yuzuru came to me and said, "Could you play the Ballade no.1 once again at the end of the tomorrow's show (the last show) and collaborate with me?" You can't imagine how I was overjoyed and enthusiastic about his request!

However, it seemed a huge challenge because the music he used was already edited at several spots and it was in different tempi from mine. (You can find it on youtube by searching for "Yuzuru Hanyu Ballade") So, in order to study his interpretation I spent about an hour watching his skating on youtube (it's actually from a recording of Zimmerman).

The next day, I had only 20 minutes for my rehearsal and Yuzuru and I rehearsed about 10 minutes. Then we did the show...
It was an unforgettable moment and a very unusual situation to play and collaborate at the end of the finale with all the skaters and all the other artists (Tomotaka Okamoto, Sarah Alainn, Edvin Marton) watching our collaboration at the rinkside! I still can't believe this happened in such a way...

I would like to thank Yuzuru and all the people involved, including the audience. I am really impressed by Yuzuru, who had very hard programs at each show, yet taking care of so many things, motivating his fellow skaters, treating the artists with courtesy and doing his best to arouse the audience to enthusiasm. And believe it or not, he is still 20 years old!

Now I'm off to Europe having a tight schedule (playing in Lodève, Dresden and Paris in 4 days and going back to Japan immediately!), but I'm fully encouraged by all the wonderful figure-skaters and artists in the Fantasy on Ice, feeling strong enough to try 3 jump-combo! ;)