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2019OMF Seiji Ozawa, Fabio Luisi and Mitsuko Uchida!

We are happy to announce 2019 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival programs.

Fabio Luisi, who made a fantastic performance in 2017OMF, is coming back to Matsumoto and this time he will conduct Opera and Orchestra Concert. It will be his 5th time to join the festival, and this is the highest number among all the guest conductors. Fabio and Saito Kinen Orchestra always make a great harmony and it is already promised that 2019OMF Opera will be one of the greatest performances of all time. Fabio made his debut in Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto in 2014, conducting Verdi: Opera Falstaff.

Next year, Fabio will conduct Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegen in Robert Carsen production. It would be the first time for Saito Kinen Orchestra to perform at opera production since 2015. This is going to one of the must-see programs next year.

Along with Fabio Luisi, Mitsuko Uchida, the world-famous piano player who also made a terrific performance in 2017OMF will be back in Matsumoto. Audience will never forget the wonderful performance of 2017OMF Orchestra Concert Program C Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor, Op. 37 with Maestro Seiji Ozawa. Next year we will witness another historic performance.

Program details will be announced later. Ticket sales are scheduled in June 2019. Please look forward to 2019OMF!

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2018OMF close with 9543 audience!

2018 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival closed its curtain on Sep. 7 (fri). This year we had in total 8 official programs / 8 performances and 9543 audience came to enjoy the festival.

The last but not the least program was Concert for Children. This is one of Director Ozawa's passion projects, and intended for Nagano Prefecture elementary school sixth grade students, delivered by Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Orchestra. The concert took place in Matsumoto and Nagano cities, and about 10,000 students from 174 schools joined.

The program was Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 by Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Orchestra under the baton of Tatsuya Shimono. Introduction of Instruments were also performed, to explain which instrument make what kind of sound.
After Symphony No.5, they all played "Shinano no Kuni" with the students. This song was performed many times during 2018OMF. Please watch a short clip featuring "Shinano no Kuni" performed during the festival.

Sep.6 (thu) Concert for Children was open to the public for the first time. About 600 Nagano prefecture residents came to listen to the concert at Matsumoto City Gymnasium.
With Concert for Children on Sep.7 (fri), all the programs in 2018OMF finished. We would like to express all the gratitude for the audience, volunteer staffs and people in Matsumoto and Nagano prefecture. Thank you all for your support!

Message from Director Seiji Ozawa

I am deeply disappointed that I was unable to be in Matsumoto this year.
But my heart was always in Matsumoto.
I will surely go next year!

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OMF Opera by Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Orchestra Puccinni: Gianni Schicchi & Chamber Concert III all finished!

2018OMF one of the main programs; OMF Opera by Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Orchestra Puccini: "Gianni Schicchi" was performed on Sep. 1 (Sat) at Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre. International casts wonderfully portraited characters from 13th century Italy, under the direction of Derrick Inouye (conductor) and David Kneuss (Director) . In total 1504 audience enjoyed the 50 min performance with Introduction of Instruments.

2018OMF main programs are finished last night. On Sep. 6 (thu) and Sep. 7 (fri), we have Concert for Children at Matsumoto City Gymnasium and Nagano Hokuto Hall. Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Orchestra plays Beethoven: Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op. 67 with conductor Tatsuya Shimono.

The final program of Chamber Concert took place at The Harmony Hall in Matsumoto city on Sep. 1 (sat). In total 11 artists played Mozart, Debussy, Respighi and Brahms. Masaharu Yamamoto, Yuki Hamasaki (clarinet) and Masaru Yoshida (bassoon) performed Mozart: 5 Divertimento in B-flat major, K439b, No. 2 in soft but great harmony.

Kazuko Shinozaki (harp) played beautiful Debussy: Danse sacrée et Danse profane with strings quartet.
Kei Shirai, Takumi Komoriya (violin), Ryo Oshima (viola) and Rei Tsujimoto (cello) made a perfect unity when they performed Respighi: Quartetto dorico, P144.
Brahms: Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8 (arranged by Jacques Zoon for flute, cello and piano) by Jacques Zoon (flute), Iseut Chuat (cello) and Momo Kodama (piano) closed the perfect night. The golden trio gave audience spectacular experience and received the big applause.

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2018OMF Orchestra Concert Programs Finale!

2018OMF Orchestra Concert Programs came to an end last weekend with Orchestra Concert Program C "OMF Gig". In total 5695 audience came to Matsumoto to enjoy the concerts.

Kazuyoshi Akiyama, who were taught by late Hideo Saito, conducted Saito Kinen Orchestra for the first time in 14 years. Director Ozawa asked Mo. Akiyama when he was thinking the program, saying "please choose something we've never done at the festival". So Akiyama made all French programs, and it paid off greatly.
The first half was consisted of Ibert: Ouverture de fête, Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune and Ravel: Boléro. After the intermission, 89 SKO members and Mo. Akiyama performed Saint-Saens: Symphony No.3 in C minor, Op. 78 "Organ". 1852 audience sent passionate and long applause to the great artists.

On Sep. 2 (Sat), Orchestra Concert Program C "OMF Gig" closed the whole Orchestra Concert. The Philadelphia Orchestra assistant conductor Kensho Watanabe made his Japan debut in this program, with 2 Bernstein music; Overture to Candide and Three Dance Episodes from On the Town. Kensho conducted the orchestra with sharp and energetic instructions, and the audience welcomed his first and memorable performance.
The last piece of the first half was Gershwin: An American in Paris under the baton of Diego Matheuz. Strong bond between SKO and Diego made the performance excellent and described the scenery of Paris in early 20th Century completely.
After the intermission, Marcus Roberts Trio performed 4 songs from《West Side Story》. The concert hall transformed to a comfortable Jazz hall with great performance of the three.
Gershwin: I Got Rhythm Variation was the last number to close the night. SKO, Marcus Roberts Trio and Diego Matheuz performed memorable performance that told us the joy of life.
1865 audience gave them great applause, and artists said goodbye to the audience with Gentian flowers in their hands, saying "Until next year!".