Costa Rica Culture

Violinist Visits to Promote Music Ed

World-renowned Japanese violinist Midori Goto will be stringing along Costa Rica music aficionados this month when she comes to the country for a week to promote musical education.

Virtuosa: Renowned Japanese violinist Midori Goto arrives in the country this week to promote musical education and to perform with the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica next weekend.

Photo courtesy of Culture Ministry

In addition to meeting with organizers of music programs and giving lessons to some gifted and fortunate students, Midori, as she is known in the classical music world, will be performing with the National Symphony Orchestra in two concerts at the National Theater next weekend. Both will feature Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 and Brahms' Academic Festival Overture.

Midori's visit is the result of a renewed investment in Costa Rica's music education programs, said Culture Minister María Elena Carballo.

“There is talent everywhere,” Carballo said, adding that music and art instruction are important for the development of intelligence and competence. “This is a way to develop the human capital of the people.”

Midori arrives June 22 in Costa Rica. Her itinerary involves visiting a number of National Music Education System (SINEM) programs around San José and attending a concert put on by children in the surrounding schools.

Five Costa Rica students will be given the privilege of being instructed by Midori on June 25.

“To bring a famous talent here to work with our kids … that is invaluable,” Carballo said.

Midori has played with some of the most distinguished orchestras in the world, and was named by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as a U.N. messenger of peace in 2007 for her work to promote peace through music.

She will perform with the National Symphony Orchestra June 26 at 8 p.m. and June 28 at 10:30 a.m. at the National Theater. Tickets range in price from ¢3,000 to ¢15,000 and are available at the theater's box office or by calling 2221-5341.

Midori is also scheduled to perform with the Youth Symphony Orchestra in a concert for SINEM program parents and students, June 27 at 2 p.m., also at the National Theater.





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