Japanese artist inspired by Tagore's life plays at a city venue

The Consulate of Japan in Kolkata hosted a musical evening at a city club where Japanese pianist Yukiko Kusunoki, who is deeply inspired by the ideas and principles of Bengal’s Bard, Rabindranath Tagore played his melodies along with other Japanese tunes. Yukiko had also given a solo recital at The Calcutta School of Music in November 2022.
Excerpts from the conversation
‘I discovered Tagore, his melodies just last year on my visit to India in 2022. It was at a literary festival that I got to know about his ideas and principles, and they left a deep impression on my mind. The more I read about him, the more fascinated I was. My principles and ideals resonate a lot with that of Tagore’

‘I recently visited the abode of Tagore, Shantiniketan. I was really happy to meet the people and perform there. It was a long-awaited wish to visit that place’

‘Music is a medium that knows no borders or boundaries. With my music, I want to portray an ecosystem where there is peace, harmony and love among mankind’

‘I played Tagore’s ‘Ekla cholo re’, ‘Purono shei diner kotha’ and ‘Alo amar alo’ alongside other Japanese hymns and tunes today. When I discovered his (Tagore’s) melodies last year I made it a point to learn them from Youtube. I used to write down the scores and practice. That’s how I learnt these tunes’