2005 Korea/Japan Year of Friendship - The Christmas Concert with the Whitestone Choir

On Friday, December 23, 2005, "The Christmas Concert with the Whitestone Choir" took place at the Kanae Cultural Center in Ida, Japan. The Concert, held as a part of the official "2005 Korea/Japan Year of Friendship" celebration, was sponsored by Nagano, the City of Ida, the Ida Council on Education, the Ida Association of Social Welfare, the Ida Council on Promoting of International Relations, the Ida Association on Promoting Korea-Japan Friendship, the Maeil Newspaper, and Nagano Broadcasting System (NBS).

"The Christmas Concert with the Whitestone Choir" kicked off with the Choir's opening performance followed by the guest appearance of the Kanae Elementary School Choir and the recorder performance by Moo-kyoul Ryu and his friends at Ida Manmin Church. The subsequent portrayal of the Nativity by the students of Ida Manmin Church's Sunday School and performances by the Whitestone Choir provided the packed house at the Kanae Cultural Center with a moving presentation.

The 2-hour concert featured a variety of arrangements including 19 songs that were translated into Japanese, instrumental performances, ballet, a handbell performance, worship dance, jazz dance, a musical, a Korean classical music performance, a puppet show, fan dance, and special song performances. To each of the performances presented, the audience that consisted of local Japanese citizens as well as Korean-Japanese residents responded with applause and tears.