Music has always been an important part of my life. As a child, I always felt inspired after a good concert or some musical event. It always gave me a sense of deep satisfaction and comfort. However for a great deal of my life good musical performances were hard to come by, for I lived in a poor small city in Japan where classical music was almost nonexistent. Unlike the United States where foreign music and art is fairly accessible throughout the country, Japan only has accessible foreign cultural events clustered around well-known large metropolitan areas like Tokyo and Kyoto-Osaka. Obscure cities like mine that are far from these major metropolitan centers are unable to afford most international musical ensembles and famous art exhibitions. The few that might come to a city like ours would usually be overpriced ( $300~) and would be mediocre performances.

When I moved back to the United States three years ago, I was shocked to see the richness and abundance of music as well as other cultural related events. After the Freiburg performance, I remembered how lucky I am to have access to such events that would be inaccessible to most people in Japan and other countries. Thank you to all who made this special event possible!