STERLING ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THE PERFORMING ARTS

 

 

The Ryukyu Shimpo Newspaper Company and the Okinawa Times Newspaper Company, Okinawa Prefecture’s two major dailies annually and respectively sponsor a performing arts competition known as ‘geinō konkūru*’ for residents of Okinawa as well as overseas practitioners of Okinawa’s traditional performing arts.  Over the years, numerous people from Hawaii have entered and passed these ‘konkūru’ in their respective classical performing arts medium including, buyō (dance), sanshin, koto, kūchō, fue, and taiko in one of three successive levels of the examination (‘shinjin’-newcomer, yūshū-distinguished, saikō-supreme).  This year, a multiple number of contestants participated and triumphed in their respective fields of study.

 

In the classical music category of sanshin in the Afuso style, Kenton Odo, June Uyeunten Nakama, and Calvin Nakama passed the highest level of ‘konkūru’ achievement as recipients of the coveted Saikō-shō (award) in Ryukyu Shimpo’s competition, two of whom ranked first and third in the entire corps of Okinawans and overseas musicians.  Kenton is the first foreigner to take top honors in the Afuso style of classical sanshin.

 

Other known Hawaii residents who succeeded in the following categories and levels follow*:

 

Ryukyu Shimpo Newspaper Company

Sanshin (Afuso Style)

            Yūshū Shō:  Ryan Nakamatsu & Melissa Sakauye

            Shinjin Shō:  Sean Sadaoka

 

Sanshin (Nomura Style)

            Yūshū Shō:  Seiichi Yagi

 

Buyō

            Yūshū Shō:  Alison Yanagi

            Shinjin Shō:  Mina Tamashiro & Misako Yagi

                       

Okinawa Times Newspaper Company

Koto   

            Shinjin Sho:    Yoko Oishi-Menard

 

The Hawaii United Okinawa Association congratulates each geinō konkūru  honoree and their instructors for their efforts and sterling achievement.  Best wishes for your continued success in carrying on the legacy of our Okinawan community.  All of you are our bright hope for the preservation and perpetuation of the Okinawan culture in Hawaii.  You’ve made all of us very proud!

 

* geinō; performing arts

konkūru; Romanization for and Japanese pronounciation of the French word, ‘concours’, which means ‘competition’ or ‘music contest’