Orenburg state university

Shino Hidaka: Great Success on Orenburg Stage

Famous pianist Shino Hidaka came in Orenburg by invitation of OSU Japanese Information Center. She had a meeting with university Rector Zhanna Ermakova on arrival.

Shino speaks well Russian; she lives in Russia for the second year — studies in Moscow Conservatory named after P.I. Chaikovsky.

— We are very glad to see you — Zhanna Anatolyevna welcomed the guest. — Our university has long communications with Japan; we manage to combine both academic and cultural contacts. It is common occurrence for Orenburg that Orenburg State University and OSU Japanese Information Center make surprises. But since 2012 actors from Japan, unfortunately, didn't come to us (at that time actors of Japanese Theater "Bottyan" showed musical theater "Oath on Coin" with great success in Orenburg Drama Theater). It is very pleasant that we can listen to you today.

Girls in kimonos — students of OSU Japanese Information Center welcomed guests on entrance to Philharmonic Hall. Soon the hall — from orchestra seats to balconies — was fully occupied. There were works of Prokofiev, Rakhmaninov, and Balakirev in the concert program. Shino Hidaka said that she loves Russian composers, though German classics are more known in Japan.

The pianist's concert in Orenburg had great success, Shino Hidaka plays as encore two works and thanked the audience for warm welcome several times. And people presented her bouquets from white-red and white-blue-red flowers — in coloristic of Japanese and Russian flags.

Excursion through Orenburg State University was organized for Shino Hidaka the next day. She has seen artifacts; ancient Russian-Japanese dictionaries were among them in OSU Department of Rare and Valuable Books. The pianist has seen snow-covered Orenburg from sightseeing platform of OSU Research Library and has visited University history museum, geological museum and, of course, Japanese Information Center.