Welcome
UPCOMING EVENTS
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SPECIAL EVENTS
The AJSW is proud to promote member Hiroko Sherwin's critically acclaimed, controversial and well researched book "Japan's World War II Legacy"
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Scenes from "Grave of the Fireflies"
"Grave of the Fireflies" is a Japanese animation that potrays the human cost of World War II Japan through the eyes of two children.
Grave of the Fireflies, Home Sweet Home
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Grave of the Fireflies - Official Trailer
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"Japan's Word War II Legacy" is published by Quartet Books.
Further details at
www.hirokosherwin.co.uk
or by email
hiro...@btinternet.com
Click above to play our 2015 Christmas Playlist 'Alternative Top of The Pops'
If you missed last year's playlist...
Click above to play our 2014 Christmas Playlist 'Alternative Top of The Pops'
The AJSW's Christmas mini-CD with The Pascal's:
Steve & Aska Holtz
Great songs -- Great Music as Steve and Aska sing for us
to share and express all our 'CHRISTMAS HOPES AND WISHES'
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£8 plus £2 postage (£10)
Cheques payable to 'Anglo-Japanese Society of Wessex'
Order from: godf...@btinternet.com
Address: AJSW, 18 Ronald Buckingham Court, Kenning Street, Rotherhithe, London SE16 4LL
AUDIO SAMPLER:
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A SELECTION OF PAST EVENTS FROM OUR ARCHIVES
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Have a look at our promotional video...
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Click here for detailed event information for September 29th and here for detailed information for October 20th.
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To hear a sampler of Yukiko's solo, 4 hands on two pianos (with "4Tune") and 8 hands on two pianos performances (with "Inzpir8tion") press arrow below.
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Members of our AJSW Chamber Music Ensemble:
Elona Laurie, Mee Hyun Oh, Katya Lazareva, and Lydia Kwon
Play in support of 'learning difficulties charity' MENCAP
Sunday, March 8th, 2015 Photos/Highlights:
Runners Step Up for Three Tower Challenge
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To hear live in concert recordings of our 'AJSW Chamber Music Ensemble' press arrow below.
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Click here for detailed event information and S. Coleridge-Taylor appraisal (re: Fantasiestucke)
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AJSW Chamber Orchestra - St. Sepulchre's Church - July 18th 7:30
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Event sponsors (click logo to go to website):
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At The Forge & Foundry, Camden - March 19th 7.30
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Yukiko Shinohara and Jung Yoon Cho are featured in our Christmas composite
AJSW Chamber Music Ensemble - St. George's - February 20th 1.10 - 2.00pm
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Aiki & Asa Mori - St George's - February 13th 1.00 - 2.00pm
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Here is Aiki playing Saint-Saens' 'The Swan' at St George's for our 15th Anniversary concert there November 10th 2011 backed by our AJSW Chamber Music Ensemble (live recording)
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Our Wessex Title Explained
Our title and what inspired it is often assumed to cover the region described in Thomas Hardy's novels based on the Wessex Region.....but he was a novelist not an historian and his geographical outline of Wessex described to suit his novels within a defined area and names he used of towns and villages pseudonyms for real places within that area. The real history of Wessex and the area it covered is more complex and over a variable area of the country as its fortunes ebbed and flowed. Our oft asked question "What are you doing in London" sometimes wearisome to answer as little can be explained in a few sentences to a half interested listener and especially the Japanese!
Wessex simply means 'West Saxons' and Sussex (South Saxons), Essex (East Saxons) and Middlesex (Middle Saxons). Wessex, unlike those counties, was never enshrined in the name of a county. The Saxons came from an area of Germany and our present Monarchy are only called the family name of Windsor due to a name change from Saxe-Coburg because of its Germanic connections and the concerns within the UK about the Royal Family's loyalties during World War I due to its relatives within the German Royal Family.
Surpressed post 1066 after the Norman invasion took over the Monarchy of the United Kingdom (s), the region of Wessex shone dimly through the ages almost as a folk memory until Hardy revived interest in it albeit with a novelist's interest to 'tell a good story' but not necessarily a factual one.
But it was the only Monarch called 'Great'...'Alfred The Great'....who established the region of Wessex as a crucial element to everything we now think of as 'English'....the 'Anglo-Saxons' (the English Saxons). Defeated by the Danish forces he hid on what we know as The Isle of Athelney close to Glastonbury in Somerset and from there rose again to defeat the Danes including taking London. Alfred believed the best way to establish national stability was to educate its people. And so began the process that grew into the British Empire that covered nearly the whole world which is why, whatever history's twists and turns may cause, there is some corner of a foreign field 'Forever England'.
Let us say then our title is symbolic of what one man can dream of and bring to a reality 'from a swamp in Somerset'.
Here is a visual explanation explaining some of the history by Ryan M. Reeves:
Alfred and Anglo Saxon England
Further info may be gained from myriad sources and Wikpedia a good place to embark on an expansive and interesting historical quest (see here).
Godfrey King 15.7.14
Want to know more?
Join us if you wish to keep in touch with what we are doing. Our constitution is written on our membership form so you know what you are signing up to. There will be a fresh approach to membership options as part of our overhaul and we have some exciting ideas we hope to bring to fruition in time not least with our web site that Stephen Rice and Phil Ronan looks after for us. If you have any ideas please contact us.
Our Patrons
- Patron: Kyoko Gledhill
- Honorary Patron: Kotono Sato (BMus(Hon), MMus, Dip. RAM, LRAM)
- Honorary Patron: Alexander Rosenblatt
- Honorary Patron: George Logan (Dr Evadne Hinge)
- Honorary Patron: Michael Soumei Coxall
Our illustrious figureheads represent cultural diversity and success midst diversity. Each have had lives that beg the question -- What is normal? -- Each are much loved and admired as much for "doing it their way" as for being human beings imbued with a generosity of spirit.
