Festa Summer MUZA KAWASAKI 2025
[sold out] Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra14:20-

Ken Takaseki made many guest performances both in Japan and overseas, and was acclaimed by audiences and musicians alike for his conducting of subscription concerts by the St.Petersburg Philharmonic in 2013 and 2017.

He has earned the profound trust of artists. At the Pierre Boulez Kyoto Prize Workshop in 2009, for example, he received high praise from Pierre Boulez and such world-renowned soloists as Mischa Maisky, Itzhak Perlman, Gidon Kremer, Mikhail Pletnev and in particular Martha Argerich, for his performances over the course of three concerts including the Japan premiere of a work by Rondion Schedrin.

In March 2019, he conducted Dan Ikuma's opera "Yuzuru" at Vladivostok and St. Petersburg, and in April 2021, he conducted the New National Theatre,Tokyo Opera production, Stravinsky's "Le Rossignol" and Tchaikovsky's "Iolanta".

Held important positions in major orchestras, and currently Principal Conductor of the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra, Chief Conductor of the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, Principal Conductor of the Mt.Fuji Philharmonic Orchestra.

He won the Karajan Competition in Japan in 1977, the Hans Swarowsky Competition in 1984, Akeo Watanabe Foundation Music Award in 1996, Hideo Saito Memorial Fund Award in 2011 and Suntory Music Award in 2018.

X (twitter) @KenTakaseki

One of Japan's leading pianists, Michie Koyama captivates audiences with her outstanding presence. Since winning awards at both the Tchaikovsky Competition and the International Chopin Piano Competition, she has consistently been successful at the forefront of the music scene. Renowned for her extensive repertoire including over sixty concertos, she appears on stage with considerable frequency as a much sought-after soloist, enjoying great confidence of conductors and major orchestras both inside and outside Japan including BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra (Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra), Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, under the batons of Maestros such as Vladimir Fedoseyev, Yury Temirkanov, Sir Neville Marriner, Andrew Davis and Seiji Ozawa. Koyama's two monumental solo projects were highly praised for her eminent performance and programming: "Series of 24 recitals over 12 years" and "Beethoven (and then some)" (2019-2021). In 2022, her new concert series "Concerto <Ishin-denshin>" began at the Suntory Hall, Tokyo. Following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Koyama has visited to perform at schools and public facilities in areas affected by the disaster. As a part of the activities, in 2015 she launched a project for children in Sendai. As its general producer, she has devoted herself to creating a place of heart-to-heart exchanges around music and to providing children with opportunities to find something they really like through new, but not necessarily musical, experiences. Having an exclusive contract with Sony, Koyama has released thirty-three albums. Also she is the author of the book "Point and Soul: In Search of Sweet Spot" and "Beethoven and Piano". In 2017, the Japanese Government decorated her with the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon.

In 1975 Maestro TSUTSUMI Shunsaku and a group of young talented musicians founded the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra （TCPO）, as a self-governing orchestra. Now TCPO gives many concerts every year with subscription concerts, operas and ballets, pops and screen music, recording of CDs and TV, Music appreciation classes and others. From the beginning of the founding, TCPO performs for one of the most popular Japanese classical music TV Programs so-called 'Untitled Concert' （TV-Asahi）.

In 1994, TCPO entered into a co-operation with Koto-ward, Tokyo and began initiating several community-basis-activities such as featured concerts, opened rehearsals, master classes and music seminars, coaching Tiara-Koto Junior Orchestra, Music appreciation classes, and outreach activities to elementary schools in that same ward. From April 2005, TCPO is going to start performing the subscription concerts at the Tiara-Koto for the first time since the opening. These activities, aimed at promoting the recognition of orchestral music among the community, have made classical music more accessible not only for its enthusiast but also for the public at large.

Maestro IIMORI Taijiro was appointed to the principal conductor in 1997. TCPO presented 《Der Ring des Niebelungen》 by Wagner in the unique style of 'Orchestral Opera', the orchestra playing on the stage with singers and a chore in 2000-2003. Those high level wagner performed 《Lohengrin》 in 2004, 《Parsifal》 in 2006 and 《Tristan und Isolde》 in 2008. TCPO was honored with the Prize of the Mitsubishi UFJ Trust Foundation for the Arts to the 《Lohengrin》 performing in 2005.

In April 2015, TCPO celebrated the Orchestra's 40th Anniversary and apppointed TAKASEKI Ken as a new Principal Conductor.

Since April 2019, FUJIOKA Sachio has been appointed to the Principal Guest Conductor.

In May 2021, a special highlight concert of《Der Ring des Nibelungen》was held to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of Honorary Conductor Laureate IIMORI Taijiro . TCPO was Honored with the Prize of the 30th Mitsubishi UFJ Trust Music Award the 《Der Ring des Nibelungen》 performing in 2022 August.