7.9.2026

Kai Nieminen: Morning Star… with Bells…

Kai Nieminen: Morning Star… with Bells…

piano

Eriko Takahashi, piano

7.9.2026 Ryogoku Monten Hall, Tokio, Japani

“Morning Star… with Bells…” was inspired by the painting of the same name from Joan Miró’s “Constellations” series, created during the turmoil of World War II. The anxiety, shadows, and flickering hope captured in this specific work are mirrored in the piano music. Throughout the piece, bell-like resonances appear as symbols of prayer, within which a masterfully concealed metamorphosis of the melody “When You Wish upon a Star” is woven… (composed the same year 1940 as the painting). Even in its most somber moments, the music is filled with a sense of hope—as if capturing the resilience of a smile amidst sorrow.