Japanese flutist to jazz up library

Angelique Flores

Growing up in Tokyo, one of Masami Nakagawa’s favorite playthings was a

toy flute. So it’s no wonder he became one of Japan’s premier flutists.

He will make his second trip to the United States this week, with

Huntington Beach as his first destination.

Accompanied by pianist Febian Reza Pane, Nakagawa will perform a concert

of classical and jazz music Sunday at the Huntington Beach Central

Library. The concert is sponsored by the Sister City Assn. of Huntington

Beach.

Renowned in his home country, the musician hopes the local audience will

enjoy his performance.

“In my flute performance, I want to connect especially with children and

see the effects of [my] performance,” Nakagawa said, as translated by his

wife, Izumi.

Nakagawa, 53, began teaching himself to play the flute at 12 because he

thought the flutists on television “looked so nice.” Now he’s making his

own television guest appearances on three Tokyo-based programs and is

“pretty well-known,” his wife said.

Nakagawa, who has been married to Izumi for 28 years, lives with her in

Ushiku City, outside of Tokyo.

Though he can play the alto, soprano and tenor saxophone and the coronet,

he concentrates his performances and compositions on the flute.

Nakagawa has recorded more than a dozen albums of both classical and jazz

music. His most recent album, “Magic Flute Tango,” was released last

year.

A graduate of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Nakagawa

plays professionally on both the classical and jazz fronts. He studied

the flute under Masaru Kawasaki and Masao Yoshida, and has played with

world-class orchestras and soloists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Richard Stoltzman,

Keith Jarrett, Richie Bairach and Lee Konitz.

In 1995, Nakagawa was invited to open a flute master class at the

National Academy in Korea. Now, he is the master instructor of the Flute

Department at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and the

Toho Gauken College of Music.

“We’ve invited him to inspire young people in America to learn about

Japanese flute playing and to encourage them to pick up and play any

instrument,” said Doug Erber, director of the Sister City Assn. of

Huntington Beach.

When he’s not teaching, the flutist said he enjoys o7 rakugo, f7 a

traditional Japanese style of vaudevillian comic stories. He is also

learning about computers.

This trip will be the Nakagawas first visit to Huntington Beach.

“We’re looking forward to it,” said his wife, who plans to accompany her

husband on the trip.

FYI

WHAT: Flute and piano concert by Masami Nakagawa and Febian Reza Pane

WHEN: 2 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Huntington Beach Central Library and Cultural Center, 7111 Talbert

Ave.

HOW MUCH: $15. Children and students are free.

CALL: 374-1655.

MISC.: Concert proceeds will benefit educational outreach programs of the

Sister City Assn. of Huntington Beach and the Japan America Society. Both

nonprofit organizations work to improve understanding between the

residents of California and Japan.