The world of symphonies led by Koizumi, the first Music Director

2022 is a year commemorating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the New Japan Philharmonic. In the early days of its founding, Kazuhiro Koizumi, who served as the first Music Director from 1975 to 1979, took the lead in the Triphony Hall series and the Suntory Hall series. “Immediately after winning the Karajan International Competition in 1973, I received a phone call from Mr. Ozawa asking me to become the music Music Director of the New Japan Philharmonic, and I became the Music Director for the first time since 1975,” says Koizumi. “At that time, there was no office yet, and I used to answer the phone,” he says. Koizumi chose two symphonies this time, Schumann's No. 1 "Spring" and Franck (2022 is the 200th anniversary of his birth). "Schumann's music is different from other German composers, and can only be described as Schumann's music. Franck's music is French, but it has German elements, and it shows the orchestra's ability." The orthodox music making with a low center of gravity fully opens the charm of the symphony.