Share this post

2023 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival opens tomorrow!

The 2023 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival (OMF) will open tomorrow, August 19th (Sat) with the "OMF Chamber Music Study Group -Liedduo Recital-".

12 young talented artists from Japan and abroad, selected through a competitive audition process, have been studying for a week with renowned Ms. Mitsuko Shirai and will present the world of German songs. Travel the world of German Lied to your heart's content together with the young musicians.

The 2023 OMF is full of events. Beginning with the OMF annual parade and joint concert, the long-awaited orchestra concerts by the Saito Kinen Orchestra <Program A> and <Program B>, and OMF Opera and Fureai Concerts Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ.

OMF together with the Saito Kinen Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Orchestra, and opera singers will offer a wide variety of content from high-quality chamber music, educational programs, orchestra concerts, and pop-up concerts at welfare facilities. Please come and cover our spectacular performances!

The 2023 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival will be held from Saturday, August 19th to Wednesday, September 6th. We look forward to your visit in beautiful Matsumoto full of nature and clear streams.

2023 Program

Share this post

OMF Chamber Music Master Class –Liedduo Recital–　Tickets for the Day Information

OMF Chamber Music Master Class –Liedduo Recital– Tickets information

■ OMF Chamber Music Master Class –Liedduo Recital–
Tickets for the Day Sales Start：13:30　（1000 yen/All seats reserved）
Door Open：14:30
Start：15:00

Share this post

Lied Recital at Okushiga Kogen on Aug. 17th!

The Liedduo Recital will be held at Okushiga Kogen Mori no Ongakudo on Aug. 17th.

This concert will be the final part of the 2023 "OMF Chamber Music Study Group - Liedduo Recital" Program*.

Admission is free, so please come enjoy the soaring musicianship of young artists while surrounded by nature at the best venue.

*This is a Lied Study Program for singers and pianists with the reknowend Ms. Mitsuko Shirai as a lecturer. The young musicians participate in a week long study camp culminating in two recitals at Okushiga Kogen and Matsumoto City.

Share this post

Traffic regulations for 2023OMF Open Event Welcome Parade

2023OMF Open Event Welcome Parade / Joint Performance will take place on Aug. 20 (Sun) in Matsumoto City. The traffic will be regulated during the Parade time. Please see the Traffic Regulations map below for details.

2023OMFParade Traffic Regulations

Aug. 20 (Sun) 2023OMF Open Event Welcome Parade / Joint Performance

9:05～　Performance
Shinmai MEDIA GARDEN：Kamata Elementary School / Azusagawa Junior High School
Masugataato Square ：Kamata Junior High School / Matsumoto Mothers Ensemble Apple

【Joint Performance】
11:00～　Matsumoto Castle Honmaru Garden National Treasure
Conductor : Diego Matheuz
Program：Radetzky-marsch, Anthem of Nagano Prefecture ”Shinano No Kuni”

Share this post

Diego Matheuz to conduct 2023OMF Joint Performance

Every year since it’s beginning in 1992, the Nagano prefecture residents welcome the festival and its guests with a colorful parade going through historic downtown Matsumoto and ending in a joint concert with festival conductors in the garden of Matsumoto's majestic castle.
This year the joint performance will be conducted by Diego Matheuz who will make his fifth appearance at the festival after four years since 2019. Matheuz is the first Principal Conductor of the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy and will conduct this year's OMF Opera and "Opera for Children".

◼️Parade / Joint Performance
Date　　Aug. 20 (Sun) Parade 9:30- / Joint Performance 11:00-
Venue 　Parade: Matsumoto City, Matsumoto Castle
　　　　Joint Performance: Matsumoto Castle Honmaru Garden National Treasure
* Entrance fee required to enter Matsumoto Castle.

Conductor：Diego Matheuz (Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Principal Conductor)
Diego Matheuz belongs to the first generation of outstanding musicians emerging from Venezuela’s El Sistema. With a busy conducting career in Europe, Asia, Australia, Latin and North America, he is firmly established on the international circuit and looks back at fruitful periods as principal conductor of La Fenice in Venice, principal guest conductor—upon Claudio Abbado’s invitation—of the Orchestra Mozart Bologna, and as principal guest conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
A particularly significant moment in his career was the gala concert celebrating the 120th anniversary of Deutsche Grammophon at Suntory Hall in December 2018, where he exchanged the baton with Seiji Ozawa to conduct the Saito Kinen Orchestra with soloist Anne-Sophie Mutter.
Subsequently, Seiji Ozawa invited Mr. Matheuz for concerts with the SKO at the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival and on tour in China. In 2022, he worked on Die Fledermaus with the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy, an exemplary performance which resulted in his appointment as the Music Academy’s first-ever principal conductor.
In opera, Mr. Matheuz worked at the Berlin and Bavarian State Operas, Paris Opera, the Liceu in Barcelona, and Rossini Festival Pesaro. In June 2021 he scored a major personal success with his first Aida at the Arena di Verona. With Carmen, he will give his debut at the Met in 2024.
In Venezuela, Mr. Matheuz forms and expands the repertoire of the Sistema orchestras. He also works with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, of which he is principal conductor.

Share this post

Come and enjoy beautiful harmony at Matsumoto Castle on Aug. 5th!

One of the OMF open events which tells us the arrival of the festival season Welcome Concert "Harmony at the Castle" take place at Matsumoto Castle Park on Aug 5th (Sat). SK Matsumoto Chorus and SK Matsumoto Junior Chorus will perform to welcome the festival in the front yard of Matsumoto Castle, a national treasure of Japan. Please come and join us!

◼️Welcome Concert "Harmony at the Castle"
Aug. 5 (Sat) 10:30 - 11:30 (Cancelled in case of rain)
Matsumoto Castle Park

Share this post

Saito Kinen Orchestra Member list for Orchestra Concerts

The full member list of Saito Kinen Orchestra has been announced! Don't miss the one and only sound created by the great artists in the world.

Check out the SKO members playing in each program in the links below!

Orchestra Concert Program A SKO Member List
Orchestra Concert Program B SKO Member List

Share this post

2023OMF article on BRAVO

2023OMF article is on BRAVO magazine! Please click the link below.

BRAVO 2023.8 (Article is in Japanese)

Share this post

OMF Photo Exhibitions at MIDORI Matsumoto, The Hachijuni Bank Gallery, and Matsumoto City Museum

OMF Photo Exhibitions are now taking place at MIDORI Matsumoto, The Hachijuni Bank Gallery in Ote, and Matsumoto City Museum.

---

Festival Photo Exhibition

The Hachijuni Bank Gallery,
Matsumoto City Museum
July 14 (Fri) - September 8 (Fri)

MIDORI MATSUMOTO
July 14 (Fri) - September 9 (Sat)

Exhibitions of photos from 2022 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival taken by official photographers Michiharu Okubo and Takeshi Yamada.

Share this post

2022OMF Charles Dutoit & SKO Orchestra Concert on NHK-FM "Best of Classic "!

2022 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival Orchestra Concert will be broadcast on Jul. 21 19:30- on NHK-FM radio.
You can enjoy the program on radio, PC and smartphones through website or apps.
・NHK radio

<On Air Schedule>
Jul. 21 (Fri) 19:30 -
NHK-FM "Best of Classic"

2022 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival
Orchestra Concert

<Program>
Takemitsu: Ceremonial –An Autumn Ode–
Debussy: "Images" pour orchestre
Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps

<Performance> Saito Kinen Orchestra
<Conductor> Charles Dutoit
<Sho> Mayumi Miyata (Ceremonial)

<Recorded> 2022 Aug. 26 at Kissei Bunka Hall (Nagano-ken Matsumoto Bunka Kaikan)