CUPA Presents the Japan-Taiwan-USA Friendship Concert At Scandinavia House

A non profit organization, "CATCH US PERFORMING ARTS" (CUPA) in its second year will host the first anniversary gala, "Japan-Taiwan-USA Friendship Fundraising Concert at Scandinavia House in Manhattan on Saturday, January 18, 2020. CUPA was established on September 1st, 2018, and has been serving community services and supporting artists and performers in performing arts within the tri-state area.

CUPA invited a Japanese artistic producer, Rintaro Dainichi, president of "Furusato-no-Monogatari Production Committee" based out of Sendai in the Miyagi prefecture, Japan. The concert features Daisuke Oyama (baritone), Caroline Miller (soprano) and Ping-An Lin (piano). A reception will follow the concert.

This concert is going to be the debut in the U.S. for the Japanese native, Dainichi, who will be working on an opera titled, "Koxinga," the production of Japan and Taiwan, which is to be completed in 2024, and is commissioned by CUPA. Dainichi programmed the Japan-Taiwan-USA Friendship Fundraising Concert; "Uniting Through Music" as its first anniversary event. His intention is to unite three countries; Japan, the United States, which started "Operation Tomodachi(friendship)," and Taiwan, which provided Japan the most physical and mental support when the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred on March 11th, 2011.

Program includes; a piano solo, "Variations of Taiwan folk songs", baritone solo piece, "The Moon of Wild Castle" (Rentaro Taki), soprano aria, "Caro Como," (Puccini) and return song, "From now on, Thank you," composed by Rintaro Dainichi. This concert is also supported by Project Director, Mack Okubo, and the Music for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Project, which aims to provide opportunities for the general public to help deepen the understanding of SDGs through music events.

CUPA was founded as a 501(C)(3) non profit organization on September 1, 2018. The board directors are; a life advisor, Yuko Motoki (CEO of Japan Center NJ), event producer, Hiroshi Kono (CEO of Mar Creation, Inc.) and dance school owner, Miyoko Hirakawa (CEO of TMH Dance, LLC.). CUPA's mission is to support artists under the themes of Japan and nurture young talents, to strive to maintain a relationship between the U.S. and Japan in an effort to build a better society through culture, arts and entertainment. CUPA's main activities are hosting showcase events, workshops and lectures. The purpose of this fundraising gala is to raise funds for the scholarship programs that CUPA will start to incorporate in 2020. CUPA will host an audition this coming spring and the selected artists will receive the grant for their select activities starting in September, 2020.

TIckets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gala-tickets-85671334267