February 20, 2006

PortConMaine announces its musical guest of honor

Musician Lisa Furukawa Ray is the latest addition to Maine's largest anime convention, PortConMaine

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE -- February 20, 2006 -- PortConMaine, New England's longest running anime convention, has proudly announced that Lisa Furukawa Ray will be performing at the convention this summer as the musical guest of honor.

Lisa Furukawa Ray is a Japanese-American pianist, singer, and songwriter. Utilizing her talents in contemporary and classical music, Lisa's performances and recordings display a fusion of Japanese folk, alternative pop, and electronica.

Lisa has two CDs of original songs published through her Yume label. Her first recording, "This Moment is the Show," is an intimate CD of solo piano and vocal arrangements. Her second CD, "Pearl Diver," is a collaborative piece that originated from Lisa's piano and vocal compositions, but was realized and recorded with cellist, Deborah Shields and percussionist, John Metcalf.

Currently, she is exploring the electro/dub sound while composing for the multi-art and multimedia dance troop -- The Wandering Star Project. She hopes to continue pushing technological boundaries while continuing to contribute a lyrical vocal element to electronic music. Lisa also performs in the soulful dream-pop group the Lovestars.

Lisa has performed at various events and festivals, and has entertained audiences in large and small atmospheres. She is also the director of the annual Tori Amos Tribute Show/RAINN Benefit. Currently, she is enjoying her appearances and performances at various anime conventions and cultural events around the US and Canada.

Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Lisa began studying the piano at the age of three. She has BA's in Music and Asian Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill, and is an educator and translator as well as a performing songwriter. She has translated everything from pop tunes to state songs into Japanese, and hopes to promote cultural understanding and diversity through music.

Lisa Furukawa Ray is the latest edition to PortConMaine's guest list. Other guests who will be appearing at the convention include comic artists Tom Brown, Michael "Mookie" Terracciano, and Prototype Comics, game designer Jared A. Sorensen, game programmers JC Gamers Crew, pirate singer and actor Jonathan Doughty, writer Nathaniel Jay Alexander Wiley, and costume creator Theresa Pereira. Additional guests will be announced upon confirmation.

In addition to the guest appearances, PortConMaine will feature a costume contest, video programming, karaoke, video and role-playing games, a dance, a dealers' room, an artists' alley, and more. For additional information about PortConMaine or to pre-register to attend the convention, visit www.portconmaine.com.

About PortConMaine:

Started in 2002, PortConMaine is New England's longest running anime convention. Over 1000 people attended the convention in 2005 and the convention will grow again in 2006 with an estimated attendance of over 1500 people. PortConMaine 2006 will be held at the Sheraton South Portland Hotel in South Portland, Maine from June 30th through July 2nd, 2006.

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