Jul 25 2010
Big Win for Community Radio and Japanese Music
A music show produced by Kootenay Co-op Radio (KCR) has won a national award.
Japanese Musiquest won first prize in the Music Program category at the annual radio awards given by the National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA) in May. The show has been on the air at KCR for three years.
Yuki On The Air
“When I got the news I really wanted to cry for joy,” said the show’s host Yukiko (Yuki) Tsutsui, “but then I couldn’t believe it, and I wondered if it was really true or not.”
It is true. “This year the awards had a total of 103 entries,” said NCRA Executive Director Shelley Robinson, “and music is one of the most popular (and therefore competitive) categories.”
From Japan to Nelson to Banff
Yuki moved to Canada in 2005 from Japan, and a year later enrolled in the Contemporary Music and Technology program at Selkirk College in Nelson. She started Japanese Musiquest that same year. Yuki graduated in 2008 and recently moved to Banff, Alberta, where she is active as a singer-songwriter and musician. Moving away didn’t stop her from producing her show– she produces Japanese Musiquest there and sends KCR a new episode each week.
Bridging Cultures
“My strong passion is to expand Japanese music and culture in Canada, and get them to understand and be interested in our beautiful country,” says Yuki. “I really hope this show is a cultural bridge between Canada and Japan, and helps listeners understand both cultures.”
“The fact that Yukiko mentioned her show as a way to present Japanese culture in places that had formerly been Japanese internment camps in World War II,” said Robinson, “shows how listening to carefully curated music can be revolutionary. It’s also a perfect representation of what community radio can offer.”
Japanese Music From All Genres
Japanese Musiquest is syndicated on four other campus or community stations across the country. The show airs on Kootenay Co-op Radio at 7pm on Tuesdays and 10 am on Fridays. The show features Japanese rock, pop, reggae, hip hop, electronica, and jazz in addition to traditional music.
Wow. That’s fantastic. I’m looking forward to giving Yuki’s show a listen.
Wow! That’s wonderful, and congratulations to Yuki! I’ve listened to her program often and am always touched by her thoughtful cultural observations and great music.
I think there is great synergy when two different media (radio and internet) cross-reference each other. That said, I’d encourage all the Programmers at CJLY (Kootney Co-op Radio) to take the time to build an internet presence to explain and promote their shows. CJLY has something for everyone, with Jon Steinman’s Deconstructing Dinner being just one shining example. http://www.cjly.net/deconstructingdinner/about.htm
Thank you so much for putting this article and support! Bill, without you I couldn’t continue the show, seriously! I really appreciate it. Thank you for the warm comments also..!
By the way this photo is taken by Yuichi Takasaka, amazing Japanese photographer lives in Lumby BC.
http://www.blue-moon.ca/