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[Audition announcement] 2025OMF Chamber Music Master Class -Liedduo-

©Michiharu Okubo / From the 2023 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival

At the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival, we are dedicated to nurturing young musicians, a philosophy upheld by our founder, Seiji Ozawa, and we achieve significant results each year. In 2025, for the "OMF Chamber Music Master Class" we will invite world-renowned mezzo-soprano Mitsuko Shirai as a Instructor and hold a "Liedduo" workshop for singers and pianists at Okushiga Kogen.
Ms. Mitsuko Shirai, together with Hartmut Höll, has been actively performing worldwide as a "Lied Duo," going beyond the conventional concept of "singing and accompaniment." She also teaches in the Lied department at Karlsruhe University of Music. She conducts masterclasses across Europe and the U.S., training numerous singers who go on to successful careers.
This workshop will be conducted in a retreat format with intensive lessons over approximately one week. Additionally, two public performances will be held in Okushiga Kogen and Matsumoto City to showcase the achievements of the participants. Below are the details regarding the workshop and auditions.

Schedule	August 1 (Fri) – August 11 (Mon, holiday), 2025 August 1: Travel to Okushiga Kogen, Nagano Prefecture August 2–8: Seminar at Okushiga Kogen August 9: Concert at "Forest Music Hall," Okushiga Kogen August 10: Travel from Okushiga Kogen to Matsumoto City August 11: Concert at Matsumoto Performing Arts Center
Location	Okushiga Kogen, Nagano Prefecture: "Forest Music Hall," Okushiga Kogen Hotel Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture: Matsumoto Performing Arts Center
Program	1) Liedduo lessons 2) Two public performances (Aug 9 in Okushiga Kogen, Aug 11 in Matsumoto City)
Instructor	Mitsuko Shirai (Mezzo-Soprano / Professor at Karlsruhe University of Music, Visiting Professor at Kunitachi College of Music) Profile
Participation Fees	The festival will cover tuition, accommodation, and meal expenses. * However, participants must cover their own audition-related expenses. For international participants, travel support may be available. Please contact us for details.
Number of Participants	Planned for 6 Liedduo pairs (12 participants: singers and pianists).
Eligibility	Applicants must be 39 years old or younger as of April 1, 2025. Applicants must be enrolled in or have graduated from a music university, graduate school, or a specialized institution, or possess equivalent skills. Participation is limited to duos.
Audition Repertoire	3 Free songs (DeutscheLieder). 10 min per duo.
Application Process & Deadline	Upload a performance video to a downloadable platform such as Google Drive or Dropbox, and submit the required details along with the video URL via the designated application form. Application Form URL: https://forms.gle/VFXiUEx3WgBRfweYA
Application Deadline	April 6, 2025 (Sunday)
Selection Results	Results will be announced to all applicants by the end of April, regardless of acceptance.
Contact	Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival Tokyo Office E-mail: omftokyo@ozawa-festival.com

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Feb. 19 (Wed) [Tokyo] SKO Brass Ensemble　Same-Day Ticket Information

Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival –Special Concert –Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble Same-Day Ticket Information

Feb. 19, 2025 (Wed) [Tokyo] Sumida Triphony Hall Main Hall
Same-Day Ticket Sales Start: 18:00
Ticket Price: S ¥6,000 (All seats reserved)
*Please note that U-25 tickets are only available via OMF Web Ticket.

Doors Open: 18:30
Curtain Time: 19:00
Estimated End Time: Around 21:00

For details on the 2025 SKO Brass Tour, click here.

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Feb. 13 (Thu) [Matsumoto] SKO Brass Ensemble　Same-Day Ticket Information

Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival –Special Concert –Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble Same-Day Ticket Information

Feb. 13, 2025 (Thu) [Nagano] The Harmony Hall

Tickets Sold Out

Doors Open: 18:30
Curtain Time: 19:00
Estimated End Time: Around 21:00

For details on the 2025 SKO Brass Tour, click here.

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Obituary of Conductor Kazuyoshi Akiyama

January 26, 2025 – It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of conductor Kazuyoshi Akiyama due to pneumonia.

Mr. Akiyama was a devoted disciple of the esteemed educator Hideo Saito, studying alongside Seiji Ozawa, Director of the Festival. He deeply embraced and carried forward Saito’s teachings. In September 1984, marking the 10th anniversary of their mentor’s passing, Mr. Akiyama and his elder colleague Ozawa gathered over 100 musicians from around the world who had studied under Saito to perform a memorial concert. This concert became the catalyst for the creation of the Saito Kinen Orchestra (SKO), which later formed the foundation of the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival (formerly the Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto).

After the 1984 Hideo Saito Memorial Concert, Mr. Akiyama collaborated with the SKO on various notable occasions, including European tours in 1987 and 1989, 1993 performance with the Wind and Brass Ensemble of the Saito Kinen Orchestra, and the 2004 “Hideo Saito Memorial Concert.” His final collaboration with the SKO came in 2018 after a 14-year hiatus, during which he conducted a French program featuring works by Ibert, Debussy, Ravel, and Saint-Saëns.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Akiyama for his extraordinary contributions to the world of classical music and offer our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. His dedication, artistry, and passion will forever be remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him and experiencing his work.

Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival Executive Committee

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2024OMF Nodoka Okisawa × SKO Orchestra Concert Program B to be aired on abn (Asahi Broadcasting Nagano)

The Orchestra Concert Program B (Conducted by Nodoka Okisawa / Performed by the Saito Kinen Orchestra), held in Matsumoto on August 16, will air on abn (Asahi Broadcasting Nagano) at 10:00 am. Nodoka Okisawa, OMF Principal Guest Conductor, stepped in to lead the Saito Kinen Orchestra in a powerful and heartfelt performance of Brahms. Experience the emotional intensity of the opening night of the B Program, a performance that garnered widespread acclaim. The program will also feature festival highlights, including the Seiji Ozawa Day event and an exclusive interview with SKO cellist Dai Miyata.

<On Air Schedule>
Dec. 29 (Sun) 10:00 -
abn (Asahi Broadcasting Nagano)

2024 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival
Orchestra Concert Program B

<Program>
Brahms: Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op. 68 (I, IV)
Brahms: Symphony No.2 in D major, Op. 73

Saito Kinen Orchestra
Conductor: Nodoka Okisawa

Recorded: 2024 Aug. 16, at Kissei Bunka Hall (Nagano-ken Matsumoto Bunka Kaikan), Matsumoto, Japan

Reference Link: 2024OMF Orchestra Concert Program B

Note: This program broadcast is limited to Japan.

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Special Program featuring Director Seiji Ozawa on Asahi Broadcasting Nagano is now streaming on TVer!

The special program featuring Director Seiji Ozawa, titled "Endless Applause Forever… Seiji Ozawa’s Legacy for the Future" which aired in August on Asahi Broadcasting Nagano, is now available for streaming on TVer.
The program will feature Asahi Broadcasting Nagano’s exclusive archival footage, along with reflections on Seiji Ozawa's life and accomplishments through the words of those who knew him well. Don't miss it!

Streaming Period: December 20, 2024 - January 19, 2025
TVer

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Nodoka Okisawa × Saito Kinen Orchestra 2024OMF Live Recording to be Released by Decca Classics on Dec 18

The year 2024, marking the 40th anniversary of the Saito Kinen Orchestra, will culminate with the release of "Brahms: Symphony No. 1 & No. 2", a live recording of the orchestra conducted by Nodoka Okisawa at the 2024 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival (2024OMF). This recording is set to be released on December 18th (Wednesday) by the British label, Decca Classics.

Nodoka Okisawa, appointed by Director Seiji Ozawa as the first Principal Guest Conductor in the festival’s history, leads SKO in performances of Brahms’ Symphonies No. 1 and 2. For SKO, Brahms’ symphonies are a core part of their repertoire, having been performed in their entirety during the orchestra’s early international tours and shaping their artistic direction in their formative years. This summer’s debut performance of Okisawa as Principal Guest Conductor featured these Brahms symphonies and was met with great acclaim. The main feature of this release is the live recording from this highly lauded concert, coupled with R. Strauss' Don Juan, symphonic poem.

Seiji Ozawa and the SKO have an extensive recording history, highlighted by the 2016 release of Ravel L'enfant et les sortilèges by Decca Classics, which won the 58th Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. The most recent release by the Saito Kinen Orchestra was a live recording of the Deutsche Grammophon 125th Anniversary Special Gala Concert, conducted by Ozawa’s long time friend, conductor and composer John Williams, which was released in May 2024 by Deutsche Grammophon.

NODOKA OKISAWA / SAITO KINEN ORCHESTRA
"Brahms: Symphony No. 1 & No. 2"
Release Date: Wednesday, December 18, 2024
MQA/UHQ-CD UCCD-45032/3
Price: ¥4,400 (¥4,000 + 10% tax)

[Disc１]
1-4. Brahms: Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op. 68
5. R. Strauss: Don Juan, symphonic poem, Op. 20
[Disc２]
1-4. Brahms: Symphony No.2 in D major, Op. 73

Recorded at Kissei Bunka Hall (Nagano-ken Matsumoto Bunka Kaikan), August 2024

ORDER>>>

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SKO Brass Ensemble Matsumoto/Tokyo Tickets go on sale on Oct 5 (Sat)!

In February 2025, the brass, timpani, and percussion sections of the Saito Kinen Orchestra will embark on a tour across 9 cities in Japan. Tickets for the Matsumoto and Tokyo performances will go on sale starting Saturday, October 5!

12 world-class musicians will come together to deliver a rare ensemble performance you can only experience here. Don’t miss this special opportunity!

【Matsumoto】Feb 13, 2025 (Thu) @The Harmony Hall
【Tokyo】Feb 19, 2025 (Wed) 1@Sumida Triphony Hall Main Hall

Please see here for more information>>>

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The Curtain Closes on the 2024 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival! See you Aug. 10 to Sep. 9 in 2025!

The 2024 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival ran for 27 days from Aug. 9 to Sep. 4, featuring 11 performances across 8 programs. The festival concluded on Sep. 4 with the “Concert for Children” held at Kissei Bunka Hall, bringing this year’s celebration of music to a close.

The festival opened with the "OMF Chamber Music Masterclass –Woodwind Ensemble–," followed by a series of orchestral concerts conducted by Maestra Nodoka Okisawa (OMF Principal Guest Conductor), Maestro Tatsuya Shimono, and Maestro Radek Baborák, where the Saito Kinen Orchestra (SKO), celebrating its 40th anniversary, showcased its remarkable talent. The festival also featured three "Chamber Concerts" with exquisite performances by SKO members and other distinguished musicians, and the OMF Opera, where Maestro Toshiaki Murakami and SKO coaches expertly led the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Orchestra alongside outstanding singers. This year’s festival, dedicated "all performances in honor of the festival's Founder and Director, Seiji Ozawa," welcomed approximately 13,500 guests to concerts.

The traditional Welcome Parade and Joint Performance, a highlight of the festival since its inception in 1992, featured 46 groups and around 1,800 performers this year. The festival also continued its educational outreach with "Opera for Children," conducted by Maestro Toshiaki Murakami, and the "Concert for Children," conducted by Maestro Carl St. Clair, which provided over 10,000 students, including sixth graders and first-year junior high school students from Nagano Prefecture, with the opportunity to experience the joy of music.

To celebrate Director Seiji Ozawa's achievements, a series of commemorative events, including “A Tribute to Director Seiji Ozawa: Celebration of Seiji's Life,” were held. On September 1, the special event "Seiji Ozawa Day" brought together performances by the Festival Band, citizen choirs (both adult and children's), and the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Orchestra, with a total of about 500 performers. The celebration culminated in a spectacular display of 280 fireworks to honor the Director's birthday. The festival also included special exhibitions at the Matsumoto City Museum and the Matsumoto City Museum of Art, as well as memorial flags, message boards throughout the city, and special lighting at various venues, creating an entire city celebration of Ozawa's contributions to "Matsumoto—City of Music" over the past 30 years.

We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to celebrate Director Seiji Ozawa's life and share the music that embodies his spirit with so many of you. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the volunteer staff, sponsors, and everyone who supported the festival.

We look forward to welcoming you again next year!

　The 2025 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival is scheduled to take place from Aug. 10 to Sep. 9. OMF Principal Guest Conductor Nodoka Okisawa will take on Benjamin Britten's opera "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The production will be directed by the renowned Laurent Pelly, who has previously directed acclaimed works such as "The Cunning Little Vixen" (2008), "L’enfant et les sortilèges / L’heure espagnole" (2013), and "Le nozze di Figaro" (2022). This upcoming opera marks the highly anticipated reunion of Nodoka Okisawa and Laurent Pelly after their celebrated collaboration on "Le nozze di Figaro". Joined by the Saito Kinen Orchestra, this first opera production in three years promises to be a performance not to be missed.
Additionally, the festival will feature a diverse array of programs, including orchestra concerts, chamber concerts, "Opera for Children," "Concert for Children," and OMF Chamber Music Masterclass. Details on the performance schedule and programs will be announced at a later date. Please look forward to 2025OMF!

February 2025: Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble to Launch Third Nationwide Tour After Six Years!

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“A Tribute to Director Seiji Ozawa: Celebration of Seiji’s Life” from Sep. 1st on YouTube

On Aug. 17th, as a special event of the 2024 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival, "A Tribute to Director Seiji Ozawa—Celebration of Seiji's Life," was held receiving a tremendous response. We are pleased to announce that the live recording of this event will be released for free on Seiji Ozawa's official YouTube channel on Sep. 1st, which marks his 89th birthday.

The "Celebration of Seiji's Life" was organized to express gratitude to the Maestro, who dedicated over 30 years to the development of "Matsumoto—City of Music," as a Director of the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival (OMF). The Saito Kinen Orchestra(SKO), under the baton of OMF's principal guest conductor Nodoka Okisawa, presented Mozart's "Ave Verum Corpus." Additionally, J.S. Bach's "Air" and Mozart's Divertimento K. 136, 2nd movement were performed without a conductor, evoking a moment that felt as if Maestro Ozawa himself were on the podium, creating the music together.

A specially edited video was also screened, revisiting precious moments shared with the Maestro. The event was hosted by Yumiko Udo, who met Maestro Ozawa during the Nagano Olympics and has maintained a close friendship with him ever since. The event concluded with a speech by Yumiko Udo and gratitude remarks from Seira Ozawa, SKO Representative and daughter of Seiji Ozawa.

This event welcomed one-thousand citizens of Matsumoto City and Nagano Prefecture as special guests, and public viewings were also held at two designated venues in Matsumoto.
Through the free release on YouTube, we hope that people not only in Japan but around the world will have the opportunity to share in Ozawa's belief that "people around the world are connected at the roots" and celebrate his remarkable life together.

Seiji Ozawa’s official YouTube channel