Naoko Senoo and Nico Vancouver
Naoko Senoo was born in Tokyo in 1972 in a family with a strong artistic background.
She began the piano at five and took up the flute at 13. She studied with Heihachiro Yamaguchi and Akio Kan.
At Senzoku Gakuen Music University she was a pupil of Shigeru Kobayashi.
In 1994 she was a laureate at the National French Music Competition.
She came to Belgium in 1997 to attend masterclasses in modern flute with Wil Offermans.
At a Tokyo concert in November 2000, she met Belgian jazz pianist Nico Vancouver and they have played together ever since.
As a duo, they represented Belgium in Washington DC at the International Very Special Arts Festival founded by the Kennedy
family.
Rik Ghesquière, composer and conductor of the classical Eroica Ensemble invited Naoko and Nico to play as soloists.
In « Japanese Impressions » Naoko Senoo leads the Belgian pianist and the classical Orchestra along the paths of Japanese music breathing new life into their inspiration and bringing them to expand their musical horizons.
I asked Nico in a very polite way if he could still feel light as we where standing at this window ... No ... he answered me ... I can only feel the kindness from the people around me ...
Nico Vancouver was born in Greece in 1957.
He came to Belgium at the age of 3 and started playing music at 7.
At 13, he lost his eyesight but Braille enabled him to carry on with classical piano.
At 20, however, he turned to jazz, allowing him more freedom and room for improvisation.
In 1987 he formed the Nico Vancouver Trio and gave concerts all over Europe. In Brussels at the of end 1990, he met Sosuke Hara, the Japanese guitarist and producer who brought him to Japan. Tours followed there in 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2001. The Japanese imperial family attended the 1994 concert in Tokyo.
Nico also set up the Brussels Piano Festival for international artists with a passion for the piano, jazz to classical.
As a member of The Very Special Arts Foundation, founded by the Kennedy family, he performed in Brussels (1994), Los Angeles (1999), Istanbul (2001).
At a Tokyo concert in November 2000, he first played with the Japanese flautist Naoko Senoo. As a duo, they represented Belgium in Washington D.C. at the 2004 edition of the International Very Special Arts Festival.
Rik Ghesquière, composer and conductor of the classical Eroica Ensemble invited Nico and Naoko to create "Japanese Impressions", a Western view of Japanese music. Freddy Sunder arranged Nico’s piano and flute compositions for the classical Chamber Orchestra. A classical background, strong Greek roots, stage experience as a performer taking him as far as Japan, are all part of Nico’s improvisation material.
Charmed by Naoko's and Nico's warm personality it was my pleasure taking there pictures.
pictures and post edit by juan wyns
