Kimitsu Junior Chorus
Established in 2000, Kimitsu Junior Chorus held a Christmas Charity Concert in order to support children who were victims of the September 11 attacks. They have been making various donations from the annual concert to support refugees and victims of major disasters via UNICEF and the Japanese Red Cross Society ever since. The group also has been holding a charity concert every year to support the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The Kimitsu Junior Chorus received the Minister of State for Special Missions Award. They also obtained high evaluations from the music directors of Tokyo Philharmonic Chorus, Beijing Central Children’s Choir, Vienna Boys' Choir, and Latvian Voices. The group has premiered new singles from Japan’s lead chorus composers including Ko Matsushita, Makiko Kinoshita, and Kentaro Sato. Those songs are now recognized as free program songs during international contests. The chorus members have been inspired by expressions of diversified performances from the National Children’s Chorus Festival of Japan Choral Association and Karuizawa International Choral Festival. The Kimitsu Junior Chorus hopes to perform and welcome people during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Conductor
Manami Ishikawa
Manami Ishikawa shifted her career to pursue teaching music after she earned a degree in Economics. She has been sending students to various chorus contests since her second year teaching and has since won various awards. The city of Kimitsu recognized her successes, and she became the resident conductor of the Kimitsu Junior Chorus. She subsequently refocused her studies on the Saito conducting method. She has been leading the chorus group while continuing her teaching career for 18 years. Ishikawa received an award from the Ministry of Education, a Lesson Master award in Chiba, and the Chiba Education Encouragement Award.
