Enjoy Film Music with Orchestra XV [Sold Out]
Produced by Hall Advisors Kazuyoshi Akiyama & Takana Miyamoto

Born in 1941, Kazuyoshi Akiyama studied conducting under Hideo Saito at the Toho Gakuen School of Music.

Akiyama has held prestigious posts such as Music Director of the American Symphony Orchestra (1973-1978) and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (1972-1985). During this time, Akiyama’s reputation spread to Europe and throughout North America, where he has been invited to conduct the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the NDR Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and many others.

He is the recipient of numerous highly prestigious honors in Japan including the Person of Cultural Merit (2014) for his outstanding cultural contributions.

Akiyama currently holds the title of Conductor Laureate of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, the Kyushu Symphony Orchestra and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra; Honorary Conductor for Life of the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra, and Permanent Conductor and Music Director of the Chubu Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 2024, he will celebrate the 60th anniversary of his conducting career.

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Takana Miyamoto is a multi award winning, internationally acclaimed concert pianist, vocalist, composer, arranger and an educator. She has traveled and performed in over 30 countries worldwide, and currently bases herself in back Japan since 2013.

Takana's music go beyond genres ranging from jazz, pops, rock, film music, semi-classical to full orchestra. Her story-telling piano sound and music writing are featured on several albums and concerts of the multi-Grammy nominated jazz artists Kirk Whalum (sax), Nnenna Freelon (voc), Rene Marie (voc), Grammy winner Irene Cara, and Japanese greats such as Junko Yagami (winner of Women Songwriter's Hall of Fame 2022/USA), Chikuzen Sato, Lisa Ono, May J., Ayaka, Sarah Alainn, Miki Imai, Maki Oguro, Jun-ichi Inagaki, TOKU, SUGIZO (Luna Sea / X-Japan) among many others.

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After she graduated from Nihon University College of Art in 1987, she joined Fuji Television. As an announcer, she appears on many programs such as "Professional Baseball News'' and "Heisei Board of Education,'' gaining popularity. She left Fuji Television in 1995. From 1997 to 2022, she served as the main caster of "World Athletics" (TBS). Currently, she is appearing on "Takarazuka Cafe Break'' (TOKYO MX TV), "Sujinashi'' (TBS), "The Splendid World of Takarazuka Revue'' (period drama channel), "Alvarez no Sora'' (BS TV Tokyo, narration), etc. Regular appearance. She is also active in a wide range of other fields, including columns on movies and theater, video distribution programs, event hosts, classical concert navigators, and reading readers.

She supports the activities of the NPO Cancer Net Japan, and in 2018 she became a director. She also hosts cancer awareness events and public lectures.

Since June 2020, she has been a board member of the New National Theatre.

Chikuzen Satō is debuted in 1988 as the vocalist of Sing Like Talking; has released 14 original albums through 2018's latest, Heart Of Gold; Sing Like Talking's most recent single, 2021's "Child In Time," was released in 1983 as the first single from the band's debut album, "The Lost Art of Talking."

In addition to his solo work, he has performed with pianist Satoru Shionoya in the unit "Salt & Sugar," with Kazumasa Oda in the unit "PLUS ONE," and with the big band directed by Eric Miyashiro, and he has also performed with orchestras, and has performed in concerts with various artists, participated in recordings, provided music, and produced music, receiving high acclaim beyond genres.

In 2023, Sing Like Talking celebrated the 35th anniversary of its debut and held a concert titled "Good-bye Sampler, Welcome Back Nishimura" on 04/02 (Sun) at Nakano Sun-plaza Hall, which was built in the same year, under the full-scale return of Tomohiko Nishimura, a guitarist who had overcome a serious illness, Tickets sold out immediately. In the fall, the band performed three concerts in Osaka and Tokyo to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their debut at the Orix Theater and Tokyo Dome City Hall.

SING LIKE TALKING Official Website

A graduate of Tokyo University of the Arts, Hiroko Kouda took her Master's degree at the graduate school of the same university and Opera Training Institute before crossing to Europe to continue her studies in Bologna and Vienna. She gained outstanding results at international music competitions and has sung at many of Europe's leading opera houses.

In 2000, she became an opera singer under contract with the Vienna Volksoper. In Japan, She has performed important roles in various operas at the New National Theatre Tokyo, the Tokyo Nikikai Opera and the Biwako Hall etc. Additionally, she has sung with major orchestras and given recitals across Japan. She has also released a lot of CDs. Winner of the 14th Gotoh Memorial Foundation Prize for the Best New Opera Singer, Jury Recommendation in the 38th Exxon Mobil Music Awards (Western Music), and 3rd Cruise Ambassador. She is a member of Nikikai.

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