10 September 2022
Melbourne Recital Centre
Review by Lili Tu
Mum spent 7 years to learn Ikebana from Dr Shoso Shimbo so I have seen many of his stunning arrangements. However, only last night I witnessed his true magic as he created a beautiful Ikebana arrangement to improvised music by pianist Paul Grabowsky.
It’s a breathtaking performance!
Shoso started the show by taking us up to the mountain in late winter when the snow began to melt using beautiful snowball viburnum, waxflowers, drift woods and pine branches. Then slowly he made the pink buds appear and blossom by blossom the spring began. Hundreds of cherry blossom branches were brought into Primrose Potter Salon to recreate the scene of the alpine in early spring. The flowers, music and light transported us to the outdoor with the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold - when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. We seriously got goosebumps watching the weather transform with Shoso’s arrangement.
Finally, the colours of spring came to the brightest with the pink oriental lilies in full bloom. We seemed to skip a breath or two when Paul Grabowsky played his final notes and the completed arrangement came to live. It’s an experience that you would never known if just seeing the final arrangement.
Wa Melbourne Ikebana Festival is still on today at Abbotsford Convent, highly recommend to come by to enjoy a lovely Spring Sunday there!
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