Ume in Concert

OTICONS PRODUCTIONS invites Shigeru Umebayashi for the first time to Greece, at Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, where he is going to perform 3 concerts and a Master Class on the fields of cinema music composition.

His upcoming visit to Greece is a unique event for whole Europe, as Shigeru Umebayashi has performed recently just twice in Europe, in two Cinema Festivals, in Ghent (2009) and Cracow (2010).

Despite the fact that he is active for more than 25 years, as a composer, in the fields of cinema, his music has crossed over the borders of Japan and approached the western audience during, just, the last 10 years. His name is Shigeru Umebayashi. The composer who has worked with Wong Kar-Wai (In the Mood for Love, 2046) and with Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Daggers, Curse of the Golden Flower) has created a whole new trend of friends for cinema soundtracks due to his exceptional and unique melodies.

Just six years following the release of 2046 in the movies – one of the most broadcasted soundtracks in Greek radio stations during the last decade as well- the Japanese composer is going to visit Athens, in order to perform three unique concerts. Besides the above well-known soundtracks for Asian productions that he participated in, at his concerts in Athens he will perform soundtracks for western productions of his as well, like “Hannibal Rising” and “Incendiary”, as well as the soundtrack for the Tom Ford’s film ‘A Single Man’ (2009).

Shigeru Umebayashi’s (or Ume as he prefers to be called) music will be performed by the brand new Greek orchestra and chorus, at its first global premiere, entitled as “Oticons Orchestra & Choir”, that has been created in order to be exclusively focused on concerts referring to cinema or television soundtracks, in and out of the country.

Oticons Orchestra & Choir will be conducted by the most significant in action conductor in the fields of cinema music, the Belgian, Dirk Brossé. This experienced conductor has performed with the greatest orchestras in the world, in venues like Royal Albert Hall and Barbican Center in London, while in 2009 he was chosen by the famous composer John Williams to conduct the world tour of “Star Wars in Concert”. For him, as well as for the composer Ume, it is going to be the first appearance before Greek audience.

Oticons Orchestra & Choir will be accompanied by the Swiss virtuoso for ethnic wind instruments, Sandro Friedrich and the significant Greek singer with an international career, Savina Yannatou.

The music composer for films like “2046”, “House of Flying Daggers”, “In the Mood for Love”, “Curse of the Golden Flower”, “Hannibal Rising” in a unique performance, talks with the audience and imparts 25 years of knowledge and experience to them.