[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 |
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| 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 |