A GROUP of young Scottish musicians have been given unprecedented permission to perform a specially written lament during a trip of a lifetime to Japan.
The 66 members of the Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra (AFO) leave on Sunday and will be with orchestra leader Mia Walsingham when she plays the Lament for the Children of Hiroshima – written by 90-year-old former music teacher Harry McFarlane. They will perform the lament at the Memorial Peace Garden in Hiroshima.
McFarlane and his wife Margaret, 93, who are both from Ayr, originally met through music lessons and have been married for 66 years.
The musicians – all aged between 10 and 18 – are newly conferred ambassadors of the World Peace Tartan and will perform at six high-energy fiddle concerts during their Rising Sun Tour.
Their Peace Garden performance will be conducted in the presence of the mayor or Hiroshima and director of the International Mayors for Peace organisation.
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AFO founder and director, Wallace Galbraith, said: “This is also celebrating the planting of seeds at Ayr’s Belleisle Conservatory from trees presumed annihilated at the Hiroshima atomic blast in 1945 and to share the message of the World Peace Tartan from Scotland.
“We will also remember those who lost their lives in the devastating floods in Hiroshima one year ago.”
Walsingham played the lament at a celebration concert in Ayr Town Hall last weekend, which was also attended by the composer and the consul general of Japan, Nozomu Takaoka.
The intrepid musicians have a packed schedule in Japan, with six concerts in the cities of Tokyo, Yokohama, Kyoto and Hiroshima. They are also likely to stage impromptu ceilidhs at Edinburgh Airport and during their Turkish Airlines flight to Tokyo.
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AFO music director, David Moore, said: “Having joined the orchestra myself at the age of 10 years old I know the excitement building up today.
Harry McFarlane and Mia Walsingham
“Many of our young orchestra members on this tour to Japan have never been abroad before or been away from home. Some have never flown before. Neved Karumuri will celebrate his 18th birthday away from home and family.
Moore continued: “Cultural exchanges and the performing and sharing of music are all contributions to building a culture of peace and we are so proud to be doing this in our lives through Scottish traditional music.
“These amazing young dedicated Scottish musicians have all practised, rehearsed and performed in public for many thousands of hours collectively to be part of the Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra Rising Sun Tour.
“They are such great ambassadors for Scotland. I’m also greatly looking forward to swishing my World Peace Tartan kilt on stage for the Japanese audiences.”
Euan Terras, AFO chairman, added: “When we became aware that Japan had a new emperor we also became aware that His Majesty is a musician who plays the viola.
“We sent an invitation to Emperor Naruhito through the Japanese consul general that we would be delighted if he were to grace a concert with his attendance … and we are very hopeful he will come.”
Victor Spence, founder of the World Peace Tartan, said: “Members of the orchestra will be the first to formally present the World Peace Tartan in Japan ... It has always been a hope and dream that people would take the initiative across the world and especially from here in Scotland to share the message for world peace this way.”
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