Dear Sendai students,

The cellists of the NYSE and I would like to extend our deepest sympathies for what has happened in Sendai and all over Japan. We hope you and your families are safe, and that conditions continue to get better and better. In New York city, we were devastated to hear about what happened to Sendai, one of our favorite cities, and hope to visit you there again very soon.

All the best,
Robert,
Garo,
and Lauren.

To the Students of Sendai Ikuei School Orchestra,

To the Students of Sendai Ikue School Orchestra,
As a member of the NYSE for several years, I have grown very fond of this orchestra and getting to meet students as talented and motivated as you are every year. I was very saddened to learn and follow the news of the horrific earthquake and Tsunami that Japan experienced recently. My thoughts and prayers go to you and your families. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help. My wife is from Sendai and her mother lives in Natori, we feel very fortunate that she survived and is safe. We look forward to coming back to Japan this year because we hope we can lift people's spirits and hopefully motivate you to continue on in this extremely difficult time. Every year we come to Sendai to teach you, but I think this year we will have a lot more to learn from you because of your bravery and spirit. 　Joshua Frank (Trumpet)

この度、震災で被災された方々に、深くお悔やみ申し上げます。
またご家族やお友達が被害にあわれた方々、想像できないほどの恐怖だったと思います。
そして今もまだ余震や電気不足、原発の不安が絶えない毎日だと思います。

遠く離れた海外から直接手助けできない状況がもどかしい気持ちでいっぱいですが、私達の心は常に皆様と一緒、日本にあります。　
ここから私たちができる事は、皆様の無事を祈る事と、そして募金をする事ぐらいしかできませんが、以前皆様と一緒に演奏して心を豊かに一つにしたあの時と同じように、精一杯想いを込め日本に届くよう、たくさんチャリティーコンサートをし、その募金を日本に送らせて頂いております。

大変な状況の中、皆で助け合って毎日生活している日本の状況をニュースやインターネットで見るたびに涙が止まりません。
日本人である事をとても誇りに思い、心から、皆様が早く元通りの生活に戻れるよう願っている毎日です。
世界中の人々が今、日本のために想い、応援しています。

どうかご無事で、一刻も早く皆様が安心して暮らせる平和な毎日に戻りますように。

倉田 さやか

Dear Sendai Ikuei Gakuen students

　I would like to express my greatest sympathy to you, your families and friends. The triple cataclysm of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear reactor breach have given rise to a great test of the human spirit. The Japanese people have risen to this challenge, as evidenced by their patience and tenacity.
For those of us who have not personally experienced this degree of devastation and hardship there can be no true way to fully appreciate the toll.
In the weeks and months to follow japan will rebuild and, as it has many times in the past, not only survive, but thrive again.

Sincerely,
Garo Yellin
NYSE member V.Cello

Hi,
I am Brett Deptula, the timpanist for the New York Symphonic Ensemble. I am writing from New York which is very far away from Sendai, but my thoughts lately have been in Japan, and I hope you and all the students I have met in Sendai are safe and healthy. The warmth and friendliness you have shown me and my colleagues has been overwhelming and I hope I get to see you soon!

Sincerely,
Brett Deptula

Dear Friend,

Greetings from New York City. It's been a tough year for you and the nation of Japan. We're sorry that you all have suffered so much from the earthquake and am hope that Japan will continue recovering from everything that has happened. So many lives lost and families affected, but I'm so glad that you're safe and alive. I've never been in an earthquake, but I hope that you will stay strong and know that everybody here in the United States wishes you well. Japan is such a beautiful country and culture. Sendai is one of my favorite cities in Japan! It's such a privilege when New York Symphonic Ensemble visits you every summer. I'm looking forward for this summer and hope that I'll get a chance to talk to you in person.
Wishing you, your family, and your friends a swift and safe recovery,

Sycil Mathai
Trumpet
New York Symphonic Ensemble

Dear Students of the Sendai Ikuei School Orchestra,

Please know that you and your families are in my daily thoughts and prayers. I have always been amazed by the passion and pride that you have always shown toward our joint concerts together. In these dire times please do not give up hope. Believe it or not, you can be a beacon of hope and possibly provide comfort for all of those in your community by continuing to pursue your musical ambitions. Be it through playing local songs of your town for your families or performing duets in public for those in hospitals or for those in need at homeless shelters. Continue to be creative and may you be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams. I hope that I may again have the opportunity to work closely with all of you in the very near future.

Sincerely,
Roman Cisneros
Clarinetist, New York Symphonic Ensemble