Explore Ueno Park and Listen to Classical Melodies

From music hall to museum, museum to art gallery. Around the UENO PARK with Music 2021 is a special concert that takes place every year around the museums and art galleries that stand within Ueno Park. In 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic, performances were recorded at all six cultural facilities around the park and streamed online. These six facilities were the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Nature and Science, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, the Ueno Royal Museum, and the Sogakudo of the Former Tokyo Music School. The music played reflected the image of each location, providing an opportunity to enjoy Ueno's culture and art from home. 

The Tokyo Bunka Kaikan is a concert hall that opened in 1961. Performers chosen for this special concert included the prizewinners of the Tokyo Music Competition, which is sponsored by the hall. 

Designed by master of modernist architecture Kunio Maekawa, the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan is known as one of Tokyo's leading classical music concert halls. The piece performed here was Beethoven’s famous Piano Sonata No. 23 “Appassionata.” Composed while despairing over an unrequited love, this is said to be the greatest masterpiece of Beethoven's middle period. Liebesträume No.3 by Liszt was performed at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Japan’s first public art museum. 

Kunio Mayekawa designed the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. The imposing concrete pillars have a strong presence. 

Also designed by Kunio Mayekawa, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum holds exhibitions and offers a range of art communication projects, including workshops. 

A performance by Saho Akiyama, who won both first prize in the piano section and the Audience Award at the 17th Tokyo Music Competition. 

Based on the concept of a journey through the arts and cultures of Asia, the Toyokan (Asian Gallery) at the Tokyo National Museum exhibits a variety of art, crafts and ancient artifacts from regions such as China, the Korean Peninsula, and India. Bach's "Air on the G String" was performed on the first floor of the facility, surrounded by Chinese Buddhist sculptures. The string quartet of violin, viola, and cello creates a sombre tone, as though quietly remembering distant memories that lie deep in our hearts. 

String quartet with Yuna Shinohara and Mio Yoshie on violin, Meguna Naka on viola, and Michiaki Ueno on cello. 

The National Museum of Nature and Science is Japan’s only national comprehensive science museum for natural history and the history of science and technology. The performance was held in the Global Gallery, which explores the theme of "History of Life on Earth and Humankind.” The woodwind quintet performed "Forgotten Dreams" and "The Waltzing Cat" by Leroy Anderson. Surrounded by the earth's ancient history, a sound full of grandeur and softness echoed throughout, expressing the flow of time. It almost seemed like the dinosaurs were quietly listening in.

Woodwind quintet with Shinnosuke Soeda on oboe, Akira Kono on flute, Yuki Sudo on clarinet, Haruka Fujii on horn, and Nonoka Ishii on bassoon.

The National Museum of Nature and Science was founded in 1877. They are also currently working to deliver virtual tours through videos and VR imaging via the Internet. 

Built in 1890 and playing a central role in music education, the Sogakudo of the Former Tokyo Music School has ties with Japan's leading composers, Rentaro Taki and Kosaku Yamada. This was Japan's first modern music hall, and even after being relocated and restored in Ueno Park in 1987, it has continued to be actively used as a hall. The piece performed here was the first movement of Hayden's "Emperor," String Quartet No.77. Known as the "father of the string quartet," this famous piece reflects Hayden's love for his homeland. A tone full of respect for those who came before us in the history of music resounded throughout this historic hall.

The pipe organ behind the stage is used for concerts, and is the oldest in Japan. 

The Sogakudo of the Former Tokyo Music School. Built as the school building for the Tokyo School of Music—the predecessor of the Department of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts—it has played a major role in the development of Western music in Japan.

The Ueno Royal Museum holds many original exhibitions, including the Vision of Contemporary Art (VOCA) Exhibition. The performance for Around the UENO PARK with Music 2021 took place at the same time as the Teppei Sasakura exhibition. "En Bateau" "Cortège" and "Ballet" from Debussy's Petite Suite were performed in a space surrounded by paintings filled with various expressions of light. The rich tones of the oboe, flute, clarinet, horn, and bassoon blended beautifully with these fantastic paintings.

The performance was held in the Teppei Sasakura Exhibition to commemorate the artist's 30th anniversary as a painter. 

@TEPPEI SASAKURA/ART TERRACE

The Ueno Royal Museum stands surrounded by greenery.