In the key of purple: Students' song video shown in Japan
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
MANHATTAN -- Japanese residents recently got some vocal support from Kansas State University students.
The students, in the university's Japanese language program, were shown on national television in Japan as part of a compilation video of people from around the world singing "Flowers Will Bloom." The song was written to raise money for areas affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. It was shown by the Japanese Broadcasting Corp., known as NHK.
Kumiko Nakamura, director of the Kansas State University's Japanese language program, which is offered through the College of Arts and Sciences, taught her students the song, videotaped them singing it and sent it to NHK. She was notified in early May that the network would include a clip of her students in a compilation video of people singing the song. It was was shown in Japan on May 15.
"Several friends and family members of mine in Japan were able to watch it," Nakumura said.
While not the version shown on NHK, a video compilation which starts with the Kansas State University students is available at http://www.nhk.or.jp/ashita/hanaboshu/video/20130422_4.html#video.
Students in the video include:
From Manhattan: Stevi Coleman, freshman in fine arts; Jose Izaguirre, junior in arts and sciences-open option; Isaak LeHew, senior in psychology; Tori Matta, a student at Manhattan High School; and Tansly Skabelund, senior in art.
Joshlynne Ziegler, senior in fine arts, Milford; Allison Adams, sophomore in mathematics, Overland Park; and Chaney Courtney, senior in computer sciences, Stilwell.
From China: Shengyi Wang, senior in mass communications; and San Xiao, senior in management, China.
