My brother and composer, Ichizo Okashiro, is commissioned to compose a work for piano and chamber orchestra entitled "The Starry Night" by Miller Theatre.

I will premire "The Starry Night" on Saturday, April 22, 2006, at 8 pm at Miller Theatre at Columbia University in New York.

Miller Theatre has launched a new three-year project: to commission twelve world-class composers to write twelve new Pocket Concertos. Inspired by the example of recent masterpieces, like Gyorgy Ligeti's Piano Concerto, the Pocket Concerto Project will create substantial new works for soloist (or soloists) and sinfonietta of fifteen to twenty instruments. Miller Theatre will present the world premieres of four of these new works each season for the next three seasons.

The first four works, all written by composers featured in previous Miller Theatre performances, will be played by a roster of sensational performers. Julia Wolfe's Accordion Concerto will be performed by the magician of the instrument, Guy Klucevsek. John Musto will be a double-threat as performer and composer in his new Piano Concerto, and keyboard poet Chitose Okashiro will play her brother Ichizo Okashiro's new piano concerto Starry Night. In addition, mad scientist Benedict Mason is cooking up what promises to be a wonderful new work.

The Pocket Concerto Project is a major initiative of Miller Theatre's longstanding commitment to commissioning and presenting new works. It is the Theatre's goal to make lasting and substantial contributions to the repertoire.