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Rehearsals have started for the OMF 30th Anniversary Special Concerts!!

Rehearsals have started for the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival 30th Anniversary Special Concerts on 25th and 26th of November in Matsumoto and Nagano!

It has been 12 years since the “Special Winter Concert” in 2002 for the Saito Kinen Orchestra to perform in Matsumoto except for the summer festival. The crisp autumn air of Matsumoto city welcomed SKO and every SKO member expressed the joy of reuniting.

The SKO will perform under the baton of Andris Nelsons for the first time. Maestro Nelsons is the Music Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and needless to mention, BSO holds a very important place in the Director Seiji Ozawa’s heart. Dressed in the OMF shirt, Mo. Nelsons carefully rehearsed Mahler’s last symphony No.9. The Kissei Bunka hall was filled with intricate and emotional melodies.

The concerts are just few days away!! On the day tickets will be available both on the 25h and 26th of November, don’t miss out the great performances!

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OMF 30th Anniversary Special Concerts Tickets for the Day Information

OMF 30th Anniversary Special Concerts Tickets for the day information.

OMF 30th Anniversary Special Concerts Nov. 25 (fri) Matsumoto Peformance

Venue: Kissei Bunka Hall
Tickets for the Day Sales Start: 17:30
Ticket Price: S 22,000 yen / A 18,000 yen（All seats reserved）

Door Open: 18:30
Start: 19:00

OMF 30th Anniversary Special Concerts Nov. 26 (Sat) Nagano Peformance

Venue: Hokuto Bunka Hall
Tickets for the Day Sales Start: 13:30
Ticket Price: S 22,000 yen / A 18,000 yen（All seats reserved）

Door Open: 14:30
Start: 15:00

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Announcement of Saito Kinen Orchestra Member Change

Yasushi Katsumata, who was scheduled to perform in the 30th Anniversary Special Concerts (November 25 and 26) will not be able to participate. Principal Horn of the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra Mayumi Anzuchi will appear in his place. We appreciate your understanding.

* There is no refund of tickets for this orchestra member change.

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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

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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!

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"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!

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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

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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!

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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

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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!