Night of Aurora by Rio Yamase
From left: Cute "auntie" Fumiko, Rio Yamase & i
How many of you here enjoy classical music like i do? At one point of my life, i did had a strong interest in picking up classical instruments such as either the violin or the flute but my family couldn't afford to send me for classes nor even purchase the instruments alone as they are really expensive. When i first played piano, it was by ear though i am not pitch perfect like Yamase-san but i learned and practiced through trials and errors before moving on to electrical bass like Mio from K-ON! Except i was a right handed player while she was a leftie lol. My background history in music is pretty much half baked as i never pursue them further, nor found any reason to do so since both my parents weren't very encouraging about it.
I have many friends who's parents were also musicians, thus handing own the talents through their genes and i have always admired them for having such opportunities to learn. Like Yamase-san, who came from a musically inclined family and for those of you who don't know, her mom is a piano teacher while her sister is also a pianist.
Also here's a fun fact about Rio Yamase-san, she's actually born in Malaysia despite being 100% Japanese and to be exact in Assunta Hospital, same place as 3 of my younger siblings were born at too!
If you have heard the Hardanger fiddle in “Tales from the Earthsea” by Studio Ghibli, that was performed by Rio Yamase!
What made Yamase-san stands out from every violinist out there is her taste in a certain type of genre which is Scandinavian music, it isn't something you come across everyday too. Inspired by her sister who married and moved to Norway, Yamase-san took interest in their traditional musical instrument called the Hardanger fiddle that led her on the path of learning Scandinavian music and because this instrument was only played by men and hardly a handful of women who learned it.
To add on to the challenge, there wasn't any physical musical notes to learn from too, so Yamase-san had to learn by ear and her hard work has paid off as she is now being invited to perform in Scandinavian countries during their national day and government related events.
The Hardanger fiddle she plays might commonly have been mistaken as a violin for those who are not familiar with music instruments, no doubt they do share some similarities such as the design, size and age of it but difference is can only be heard by professionals as the "Hardanger fiddle has a wider range of melody and harmony, whereas violin has only melody"- quoted by Rio Yamase
One of Yamase-san's performing numbers that night that moved me to tears was "Amazing Grace", for a not so musically inclined person like me, i could totally feel the soul of the music that you can't find in any other performances, not even my brother's cello version of Amazing Grace could make me tear like this. That's when i understood by what she meant about the Hardanger fiddle having a wider range of melody and harmony.
This was definitely a night to remember, and i think lil parasite enjoyed the performance too as as was happily kicking away inside there lol.
Follow Rio Yamase's official Facebook page for the latest updates: 山瀬理桜（Rio Yamase）Official
First time seeing and holding a Hardanger fiddle!
It's really an honor getting to hold Yamase-san's prize possession OAO!!
Thank you so much!
Finally met Nozomi-san in person and her cute baby boy, Kanae!
She's really an ongoing, energetic entrepreneur mom, who is always on the go and that puts people like me to shame lol. Wish i could be as "元気” as her after i give birth to lil parasite. Do visit her blog Nozomi.asia and also her baby supply shop called Paradise from Japan!
XOXO,
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