Festa Summer MUZA KAWASAKI 2025
The Kyushu Symphony Orchestra18:20-

Gen Ohta was born in Sapporo, Japan in 1994. He studied conducting at the School of Music at the Tokyo University of the Arts. He graduated from this prestigious musical institution of Japan with honors. He completed his study in the Master's Program for Conducting at the university' s Graduate School of Music. In the 17th Tokyo International Music Competition for Conducing in 2015, he finished in second place and won the Audience Award. Gen Ohta has studied conducting with Tadaaki Otaka and Ken Takaseki, and composition with Junichi Nihashi. He will assume the post of Principal Conductor with Kyushu Symphony Orchestra in April 2024. A live CD recording of Shostakovich's "Festive Overture" and "Symphony No. 5" from the 420th Subscription Concert, the commemorative performance, has already been released by Octavia Records, and the new duo of Ohta and the Kyushu Symphony Ochestra is drawing even more attention.

Yurie Takano graduated from Tokyo College of Music and the graduate school at the top of her class. Her appearances are including the title role in "Carmen" & "The Merry Widow", Donna Anna in "Don Giovanni", Dorabella / Fiordiligi in "Così fan tutte", and concerts with famous orchestras such as Beethoven's Nineth Symphony and concerts for New Year's Eve and for New Year. She released her albums "CANTARES" and "Cantar del Alma" (Nippon Columbia). She made great success as the title role of "Madama Butterfly" in 2024. A young soprano who is getting the limelight for her recent active appearances.

The Kyushu Symphony Orchestra (KSO) founded in 1953 in FUKUOKA. In addition to subscription concerts and Orchestra Masterpiece in the Afternoon (at ACROS Fukuoka Symphony Hall) and Classics at Tenjin (at FFG Hall), KSO also performs more than 130 times a year including school concerts and other variety concerts.

The first Chief Principal Conductor, ISHIMARU Hiroshi (present Permanent Honorary Music Director), MORI Tadashi, YASUNAGA Takeichiro (present Permanent Honorary Conductor), Folker RENICKE, KUROIWA Hideomi, KOIZUMI Kazuhiro, YAMASHITA Kazufumi, OHYAMA Heiichiro and AKIYAMA Kazuyoshi took active roles with KSO. KOBAYASHI Ken-ichiro became Principal Guest Conductor in 1996. Since April 2013, KOIZUMI Kazuhiro has been Music Director. And he will become Lifetime Honorary Music Director in 2024. In April 2024 OHTA Gen will become Principal Conductor and SHINOZAKI Maro Fuminori will become Music Adviser.

As for CDs KSO has released including the complete Beethoven Piano Concertos with SONODA Takahiro conducted by OHYAMA Heiichiro. Since 2006 KSO released 9 CDs named ”KYUKYO SERIES”. With KOIZUMI Kazuhiro Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique (2013, fontec), Beethoven's 9th Symphony (2015, fontec), Mahler 8th Symphony (2019, fontec), Mahler 3rd Symphony (2020, fontec) , Mahler 2nd Symphony (2023, fontec)which were highly acclaimed and chosen as Recommended CDs by music magazines and newspaper.

The KSO was awarded Fukuoka City Culture Award, Western Japan Culture Award, Minister of Education Regional Culture Award, and Fukuoka Prefecture Culture Award.

The sound source of The Kyushu Symphony Orchestra plays “Nami no Bon"(composed by TAKEMITSU Toru) which performed at the 344th Subscription Concert was used for the attraction music of the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games held on August 8, 2021.