For Immediate Release

Media Contact: Justin Burke - 213.201.1525

EMAIL:jburke@apla.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 28, 2000

THE TSUBAKI ENSEMBLE TO PERFORM AT AIDS PROJECT LOS ANGELES ON APRIL 11

PERFORMANCE PART OF FESTIVITIES FOR NATIONAL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION WEEK

Los Angeles -- The Tsubaki Ensemble will perform at AIDS Project Los Angeles, 1313 N. Vine St., at 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 11, 2000. The Tsubaki Ensemble is the most active Yagumogoto Ensemble in Japan. The Yagumogoto is a sacred musical instrument created by Kotonushi Nakayama in the early nineteenth century. Over the years, a small number of people have handed down the knowledge of how to play the instrument preserving both the simple and elegant sound of the Yagumogoto and the spirit of its creator. The ensemble’s performance will include music, dance, the traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony and an Ikebana (flower arrangement) exhibition. The Tsubaki Ensemble’s performance is free and open to the public.

The Tsubaki Ensemble has set an exceptional standard of excellence in performance and remains at the forefront of Yagumogoto artistry. The ensemble is a vital force with both an exciting calendar of events and a growing library of recordings. It has been said that, "The opportunity to see this vital artistic force perform is an experience which lifts the spirits of those from every cultural, ethnic and religious background."

AIDS Project Los Angeles, a non-profit community-based organization, provides direct services to more than 8,000 women and children living with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles County. Services include a food bank, professional dental care, housing assistance, child care, transportation, mental health counseling, case management, home health care and Adult and Child Buddy support. APLA also provides extensive treatment and prevention education and advocacy on local, state and federal AIDS-related legislation.

###