2022OMF article on The Japan Times
2022OMF article is on The Japan Times! Please click the link below.
Nagano music festival stays true to Seiji Ozawa's musical legacy | The Japan Times
News
2022 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival ended with great success! See you between Aug 20th and Sep 6th in 2023OMF!
The Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival celebrated its 30th anniversary since its foundation in 1992. The festival ended on September 9th (Friday) with the "Concert for Children" at the Hokuto Bunka Hall. The total number of visitors for 6 programs and 9 paid performances was about 10,300. It was a wonderful 28 days celebrating the Festival with an audience for the first time in three years.
Director Seiji Ozawa visited the Saito Kinen Orchestra concert and the Opera rehearsals. Seiji also enjoyed the performance, the city of Matsumoto, and to be re-united with the Saito Kinen Orchestra members.
We are grateful for Maestro Charles Dutoit and Maestra Nodoka Okisawa who created amazing music with the Saito Kinen Orchesta, which the Director calls “Family", musicians from all over the world who played in the chamber music performances, everyone who participated in the many open events, volunteer staff who supported the festival behind the scenes, sponsor companies/related parties who cooperated with the festival, and last but not least, all the audience. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
In the midst of the pandemic, the SKO members and the festival staff once again realized how special it is to get together and play music together.
The Festival continues beyond the summer this year. In November, Andris Nelsons & the Saito Kinen Orchestra will play Mahler: Symphony No. 9 as a special event for OMF's 30th Anniversary in Nagano City and Matsumoto City. We look forward to seeing you in Nagano Prefecture this fall.
The 2023 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival will be held from Sunday, Aug. 20th – Sep. 6th. Festival details will be announced in the fall. Start planning your visit!
"Concert for Children" Energetic Start!
The "Concert for Children" had its first performance today, inviting 6th grade elementary school students from Nagano Prefecture! Since the first year of the Festival in 1992, Director Seiji Ozawa has been passionate about his educational program. This year approximately 7,500 students from 145 schools will enjoy the performance.
The Seiji Ozawa Academy Orchestra has been through intensive rehearsals with the members of the Saito Kinen Orchestra. Young musicians were selected through auditions and will perform 6 concerts under the baton of Kensho Watanabe.
The first performance started at 11:00am today. When the powerful performance of Beethoven Symphony No.5 finished, the young audience gave a big round of applause, and we were convinced that the energy and passion of the Academy Orchestra was conveyed to the students. “It means a lot to the 6th grade students to feel the energy and passion of the young orchestra. The performance was very lively and strong," said one of the Saito Kinen Orchestra members who has been tutoring the Academy Orchestra.
The performances continue tomorrow and on the 9th. The young orchestra will give it their all!
Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble in Kioi Hall Encore
Thank you for coming to 2022 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival Special Program Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble at Kioi Hall in Tokyo.
Encore were:
Alan Menken(arr. Kaoru Wada / Satoshi Takeshima): A Whole New World from “Aladdin"
Osamu Takahashi: OMF 30th Anniversary Fanfare
Josef Zawinul（arr.Osamu Takahashi / Satoshi Takeshima）: Birdland
SKO Brass Bring the Enthusiasm from Matsumoto to Mito & Tokyo!
The Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble was established after the 2015 Chamber Concert and has toured Japan twice. The 3rd tour schedule changed several times due to the Covid pandemic. After a long wait, the ensemble could finally perform in its hometown of Matsumoto.
The first half of the program was classical music, and the second half was pop music including works from John Williams and "West Side Story". "OMF 30th Anniversary Fanfare" which premiered last night at Matsumoto Castle and was composed by the SKO Brass Ensemble trumpeter, Mr. Atsushi Takahashi was also performed. Of course, the highlight was "Happy Birthday" dedicated to celebrate Festival Director Ozawa's birthday! The audience LOVED the concert so much that the members were called back to the stage over and over again. The SKO Brass Ensemble members were given big smiles by the enthusiastic audience.
Last night's performance was the final 2022OMF performance open to the public. Thank you very much to everyone who came to visit us! The SKO Brass Ensemble will perform at Kioi Hall in Tokyo on Sep 2nd and at Art Tower Mito on Sep 3rd. A few tickets will be available for purchase at the venue on the day of the concert. We promise that you will leave the concert hall very happy!
Chamber Concert III ～SKO Brass Ensemble～ Encore
Thank you for coming to Chamber Concert III ～SKO Brass Ensemble～ at The Harmony Hall.
Encore were:
Alan Menken(arr. Kaoru Wada / Satoshi Takeshima): A Whole New World from “Aladdin"
（arr.Osamu Takahashi）: Happy 87th Birthday Seiji
Osamu Takahashi: OMF 30th Anniversary Fanfare
Josef Zawinul（arr.Osamu Takahashi / Satoshi Takeshima）: Birdland
30th Anniversary Demae Concert at Matsumoto Castle Tsukimi Tower!
12 Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble members performed two pieces at Matsumoto Castle to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival.
The Tsukimi (Moon-viewing) turret looms out against the backdrop of the night sky over Matsumoto. Among the existing castles in Japan, Matsumoto Castle is the only one that has a Tsukimi Yagura integrated with the castle tower (only Matsumoto and Okayama castles have Tsukimi Yagura). Atsushi Takahashi, a trumpeter who has been performing with the Saito Kinen Orchestra for many years, performed "Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival 30th Anniversary Fanfare," which was composed by Mr. Takahashi himself. We are so happy that the world premiere commemorating the long history of the festival was first performed in front of the citizens of Matsumoto. The second piece, Purcell’s “Fairy Queen Suite,” melted into the beautiful night sky. Thank you very much to everyone who came to the perfect event to conclude the last day of August!
SKO Brass Ensemble will perform at Harmony Hall on September 1st, at Kioi Hall in Tokyo on September 2nd, and at Art Tower Mito on September 3rd. Don't worry, you can purchase tickets at the venues!
Sep. 2 (Fri) Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble Tokyo Performance Tickets for the Day Information
Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble Tokyo Performance Tickets information
Venue: Kioi Hall
Tickets for the Day Sales Start: 18:15
Ticket Price: ¥6000 (All seats reserved)
Door Open: 18:15
Start: 19:00
Sep. 1 (Thu) Chamber Concert III Tickets for the Day Information
Chamber Concert III Tickets information
Venue: The Harmony Hall
Tickets for the Day Sales Start: 17:30
Ticket Price: ¥6000 / U-25: ¥3000（All seats reserved）
Door Open: 18:30
Start: 19:00
Dutoit x SKO Standing ovation for the concert with a live audience after 3 years!
“If I were to perform with the Saito Kinen Orchestra, I would love to play ‘Le Sacre du Printemps’”, Maestro Dutoit told us a few years ago. Mo. Dutoit’s wish was supposed to be made possible in 2021, however, it was very difficult to have a large orchestra with 105 members on stage last year. The long-awaited dream performance has finally come true in 2022.
The auditorium was full of anticipation well before the performance. A long cue for tickets was also a sign of the high reputation of the first concert on the 26th.
"Ceremonial" with Ms. Mayumi Miyata's Sho (Traditional Japanese Instrument) opened the last large-scale performance of the season. The second piece was Debussy's "Images" Pour Orchestre, which SKO went through meticulous rehearsals, from adjusting the strength and weakness of each section to detailed instructions for bowing. At the end of the Debussy, Mo. Dutoit shook hands firmly with the concert master Mr. Tatsuya Yabe as if to praise SKO.
The concert was concluded with Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps. The intense 35 minute performance of Dutoit x SKO was just breathtaking.
After many curtain calls, Dutoit and the members of SKO appeared on the stage with the prefectural flower Rindo in hand as customary on the last orchestra concert of the festival. Thank you very much for everyone came to enjoy the performance! This orchestra concert was the last large-scale performance of the season, though there are few more concerts scheduled. Chamber Concerts are on 29th of August and 1st of September for OMF2022. A special 30th anniversary Orchestra Concerts are planned in November. Come back soon, we are looking forward to seeing you all again!
