Benten Hyakudo [Annex] no.10 Exquisite Harmony

I love the music of Fauré, the mastermind behind this project. I have performed two piano quartets with Benten so far, and I was ambitious to perform all chamber music with viola in it...I realized that 2024 is the 100th anniversary of his death, and the anniversary of his death is a holiday. This means we have no choice but to do an all-folk pro!
We will celebrate Fauré's achievements with an austere selection of two masterpieces from his later years and chamber music versions of songs he wrote in his prime years.

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The Benten Hyakudo is a project started in 2003 as a "gathering place" to challenge ensembles of various compositions together with fellow musicians.
Under the call of a weekend-only viola player (the mastermind of the project), many music lovers, including amateur orchestra members, colleagues and juniors at universities and workplaces, and family members, have participated in the project.

Since its inaugural performance in March 2004, the orchestra has held regular performances [at the main building] approximately once a year, although there was a four-year break in the middle of the season. The theme of each performance is different, and the music is characterized by a broad selection of both well-known and obscure pieces.
In parallel, the series will also develop an "annex" (from 2020) that focuses on specific composers and compositions, a "branch" (from 2022) that specializes in string quartets, and a "branch" (from 2023) that is limited to baroque music. The new series will be able to accommodate a wider range of programs.

Benten" refers to Benzaiten, who is revered as the god of music, eloquence, and wisdom. The name "Hyakkodo" is a reference to the department store that sells everything, a place where a wide variety of programs can be realized, and a gathering place for amateur musicians (i.e., "hima-jin").