History

L'Association Franco-Japonaise des Amis de la Musique (A.F.J.A.M.)
was founded on September 1st 1997 by Marguerite France, its presiding president. As a non-profit organisation that adheres to the law of July 1st 1901, the association honours the memory of Kazuko Yasukawa and Henriette Puig-Roget, and seeks to continue their work alongside musicians and music-lovers of their respective countries. Finally, the association is placed under the care of its president of honour Madame Arabelle Ouvrieu, wife to the former French Ambassador to Japan.




		L'Association Franco-Japonaise des Amis de la Musique (A.F.J.A.M.) was founded on September 1st 1997 by Marguerite France, its presiding president. As a non-profit organisation that adheres to the law of July 1st 1901, the association honours the memory of Kazuko Yasukawa and Henriette Puig-Roget, and seeks to continue their work alongside musicians and music-lovers of their respective countries. Finally, the association is placed under the care of its president of honour Madame Arabelle Ouvrieu, wife to the former French Ambassador to Japan.

		The association was founded in order to reinforce and enlarge the diffusion of music as well as any other form of French artistic expression within Japan, and endeavours to promote and intensify exchanges between French and Japanese artists and musicians. The association organises cultural events in the saloons of the French Embassy, various cultural establishments, and some of Japanﾕs best halls.

	My experiences with classical music in Japan have aided me making certain observations. For example, musicians who are interested in European music are not given the opportunity to study and know the historical, cultural context of the music. Furthermore, the study of solfege and theory in Japan leaves much to be desired and even those students who have been to Europe for the purpose of study have encountered difficulties due to lack of information. This is the reason for which I devote myself to this ﾒBridge of the Artsﾓ which AFJAM is, and am happy if the association can in any way enrich the experience of music-lovers as far as music, culture, the general arts, studies, exchanges, and entertainment are concerned... particularly in Europe! Marguerite France

	Arabelle Ouvrieu, *Marguerite France* Francoise Morechand Reine Flachot Jean-Michel Damase J.-P. Sevilla Jean Fournet Mady Mesple Olivier Gardon J.-Cl. Melki Victoria Melki J. Mauger Simon Adda-Reyss Gerard Poulet Sublime Kazuyuki Toyama Atsuhiko Takenaka Hisanori Isomura Ichiro Nodaira Yasuaki Itakura Kazuoki Fujii Setsuko Iwasaki *Takahiro Ono