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T.Takemitsu:Ceremonial by Ozawa and SKO on the air on Dec 31 on NHK-ETV!

Classic music TV program Classic High Light 2018 on ETV will feature the very first orchestra concert at Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto (now Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival) in 1992, which is Ceremonial - An Autumn Ode- by Toru Takemitsu.
This piece was specially written for this occasion. The beautiful melody starts with Sho played by Mayumi Miyata. Please enjoy this memorable performance at the end of the year.

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SKO Brass Ensemble Matsumoto/Osaka/Tokyo tickets on sale on Nov 24 (Sat)!

12 brass and percussion members from Saito Kinen Orchestra go on Japan tour in 2019 January.
They visit 7 different cities this time, and tickets of Matsumoto, Osaka and Tokyo will go on sale on this Saturday!
It is a precious opportunity that world class brass and percussion players come together and perform colorful programs.
We are looking forward to seeing you in January!

【Matsumoto】Jan 24, 2019 (Thu) 19:00 ＠The Harmony Hall
【Osaka】Jan 26, 2019 (Sat) 14:00 ＠Izumi Hall
【Tokyo】Jan 31, 2019 (Thu) 19:00 @Kioi Hall
Please see here for the ticket information.

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Seiji Ozawa & SKO perform Deutsche Grammophon Special Gala Concert

Seiji Ozawa and Saito Kinen Orchestra will perform together at Deutsche Grammophon Special Gala Concert on Dec 5 (wed) at Suntry Hall. They will perform with Anne-Sophie Mutter and Diego Matheuz.

Please see below for more details.

Deutsche Grammophon Special Gala Concert Website (Japanese)

Celebrating 120 years of Deutsche Grammophon Special Website (English)

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2018OMF Kazuyoshi Akiyama X SKO Orchestra Concert Program B on NHK-FM "Best of Classic "!

2018 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival Orchestra Concert Program B will be broadcast on Nov 23 19:30- on NHK-FM radio.
You can enjoy the all French program on radio, PC and smartphones through website or apps.
・NHK radio
・radiko.jp

<On Air Schedule> Nov 23 (Fri) 19:30 - 21:10
NHK-FM "Best of Classic"

<Program>
Ibert: Ouverture de fête
Debussy: Prélude à L'après-midi d'un faune
Ravel: Boléro
Saint-Saëns: Symphony No.3 in C minor, Op. 78 “Organ”
<Performance> Saito Kinen Orchestra
<Conductor> Kazuyoshi Akiyama
<Recorded> 2018 Ag 31 at Kissei Bunka Hall (Matsumoto)

*Program B will be screened on Nov 9 18:00 - outdoor screen concert at Roppongi Hills Arena.
For more information please click here.

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Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble Japan Tour 2019 Ticket Information are Out!

Ticket information on Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble Matumoto, Osaka, Tokyo performances are out!
Matsumoto Osaka and Tokyo Tickets go on sale on Nov 24 (Sat) 10AM.
Please see program page for how to purchase your tickets!
Don't miss out the sublime performance of world top class brass, timpani & percussion artists!

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2018OMF Orchestra Concert Program B on big screen! Nov 9(Fri)18:00 @Roppongi Hills Arena

2018 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival Orchestra Concert Program B will be screened at Roppongi Hills Arena on Nov 9 (Fri) 18:00!
Please enjoy Saito Kinen Orchestra's memorable performance under the baton of Maestro Kazuyoshi Akiyama, which took place on Aug 31 at Kissei Bunka Hall in Matsumoto city.
Entrance free, we look forward to seeing you at Roppongi!

2018OMF Orchestra Concert Program B / Screen Concert in Tokyo
Date: Nov 9 (Fri) 18:00-20:00 (subject to change)
Venue: Roppongi Hills Arena
Program:
　Ibert: Ouverture de fête
　Debussy: Prélude à L'après-midi d'un faune
　Ravel: Boléro
　Saint-Saëns: Symphony No.3 in C minor, Op. 78 “Organ”
Saito Kinen Orchestra
Conductor: Kazuyoshi Akiyama
Recorded: Aug 31 at Kissei Bunka Hall in Matsumoto

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Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble Japan Tour in 2019!

Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble was born in 2015 at Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival Chamber Concert. Their sublime sound mesmerized the audience and the 12 members came back on the stage at the curtain call many times to appreciate the never-ending applause. OMF Director Seiji Ozawa has complete confidence in the world top class brass and percussion players of Saito Kinen Orchestra. The Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble was formed out of two voices. One is the player's will, which is "We want all the Japanese to know about the OMF. And we'd very much like to play as us, this 12 players". And the other is strong request from the audience that they want to see more of their performances. Answering the two voices, Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble had started touring in January 2017. Their quests for the sublimation of their harmony jumped out from the festival, and they went to 4 cities; Tokyo, Matsumoto, Mito and Hiroshma.
Their reputation goes through the nation, and the 3 performance of 4 were all sold out. They reached to the young generations who don't know OMF or SKO yet. We are proud to announce that SKO Brass Ensemble again goes on Japan tour and this time they perform at 7 cities; Matsumoto, Tokai, Osaka, Hiroshima, Mito, Iwaki and Tokyo! Don't miss out the great performance.

For more details of each performances and ticket information, please see Program Page.

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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.