中村雅俊在宮城縣慰問學生

Recently the FNN on-line reported the following:

俳優で歌手の中村雅俊さん(62)が被災地・宮城県に、歌と笑顔をプレゼントした。
中村さんが、東日本大震災で被災した宮城県で、4月に開校する東松島市の鳴瀬桜華小学校のために校歌「花になろう」を作曲し、子どもたちに披露した。
中村さんは、宮城県の出身で、親戚や友人らが被災しており、何度も被災地を訪れ、慰問を行っている。
中村さんは「どういう曲を作ろうかと、すごく悩んだんですけど、子どもたちが厳しい環境のことを忘れて、この歌を歌っている瞬間だけでも、楽しいな、うれしいなという時間を持てたらいい」と語った。
故郷の四季をテーマにした校歌「花になろう」には、震災で傷ついた子どもたちが歌うことで笑顔になれるようにという思いが込められているという。
児童は、「これからも大切に歌いたいです」、「みんなで頑張っていきたいなと思いました」などと語った。
中村さんは「子どもたちのストレートなピュアな歌い方にすごく心を打たれて、歌ってもらって、本当にありがとうという感じでしたね」と話した。

(試譯文)

Actor and singer Mr. Masatoshi Nakamura (62) presented a song and a smiling face to the disaster stricken area in Miyagi Prefecture.

In Miyagi Prefecture which had been stricken by the Great East Japan Earthquake Mr. Nakamura announced to the children that he had composed a school song "To become a flower" for the Naruseouka elementary school in Higashimatsushima city which would be opened in April.

Mr. Nakamura was from the Miyagi Prefecture. While his relatives and friends had suffered a lot due to the damages, he was consoled by visiting the stricken area repeatedly.

Mr. Nakamura said "with regard to what song to write, although the children were very worried, they could forget the tough environment because of it. It would be great even if they only momentarily feel pleasant and happy while they sing this song".
The school song "To become a flower" had the theme about the four seasons of a hometown. It was said that when singing the song, the children who had suffered from the damages of the earthquake disaster would be put into a mental situation of wearing a smiling face.
Some children said "from now on I would like to sing seriously", "we would like to do our best", etc.
Mr. Nakamura said, "Children’s straight and pure way of singing has touched my heart. The song was sung, thank you very much".

It is nice to know that children living in the disaster stricken area are not forgotten. Thank you, Mr. Masatoshi Nakamura.