Elder Club
Elder Club Graduation Concerts Take Place
Submitted 2009-02-02 12:14 PM
The past weekend, Jan 31st to Feb 1st, saw the final joint Hello! Project concerts and the official graduation ceremonies for the 22 Elder Club members.
While their contracts and Hello! Project commitments run until the 31st of March, this was a chance for everyone to say goodbye, and for one last huge concert with all of the members.
The concerts saw a return to action for both Iida Kaori and Tsuji Nozomi, while former member Ishiguro Aya was present to watch the concert. A reported 72 members and 21 groups took part in the concert, making it the biggest Hello! Project concert ever.
The title of Hello! Project leader was officially passed from Nakazawa Yuko to Takahashi Ai, who is now the most senior member.
Also, the Morning Musume song "Love Machine", the Hello! Project's highest selling single, was performed for the last time. The current Morning Musume were joined for one last performance by all of the former Morning Musume members still with the company, and the song will now be retired.
Entire Elder Club to graduate from the Hello! Project
Submitted 2008-10-19 03:45 PM
In a shocking announcement, all 22 members of the Elder Club will be graduating from the Hello! Project on March 31st 2009. They will have their final graduation concerts on the 31st of January and 1st of February at Yokohama Arena.
The people leaving includes all of the graduated Morning Musume members currently left in the Hello! Project: Nakazawa Yuko, Iida Kaori (currently on maternity leave), Abe Natsumi, Yasuda Kei, Yaguchi Mari, Ishikawa Rika, Yoshizawa Hitomi, Tsuji Nozomi (also on maternity leave), Konno Asami, Ogawa Makoto, and Fujimoto Miki.
Also to leave are Inaba Atsuko, Satoda Mai (Country Musume), Maeda Yuki, Matsuura Aya, Miyoshi Erika, and Okada Yui, plus the groups Melon Kinenbi and the non-H!P egg members of Ongaku Gatas (who have all already listed except for Korenaga Miki).
Presumably this also spells the end for groups such as EcoMoni, and the futsal team Gatas Brilhantes (including the four other Gatas-only members).
As it is today, this would leave 47 full members in the Hello! Project, with Takahashi Ai as the oldest and most experienced member.
The fate of the graduating members is unclear, however many are likely to stay with Up Front, such as Melon Kinenbi who have already announced that they will continue on as a group.
Announcement
Back to Hello! Project News