(excerpt from “Reflections”)

Inspired by this poem, WomenSing is planning a spring concert filled with music illuminating familiar and unfamiliar places and emotions.

Since the season of the cherry blossom is here, we’ll celebrate with the traditional Japanese folk song, Sakura, Sakura, arranged by Dwight Okamura, currently the music director for the hit show “Wicked.” This song was composed during the Edo period for children learning to play the koto. Today, it is often sung in international settings as a song representative of Japan.

I’m especially pleased to announce that two dancers from the award-winning Michiya Hanayagi Japanese Dance Studio will be joining WomenSing at this performance.

For  pictures of these beautiful dancers, visit their page on Flicker.

In contrast to Sakura, Sakura is the piece The Shadow of Your Smile from the movie “The Sandpiper.” Greg Gilpin’s arrangement gives it a gentle bossa nova groove that is perfect for choral singing. The Shadow of Your Smile was honored in 1965 with the Academy Award the “Best Original Song composed for a Motion Picture.”