Stepping through the "gateway to a musical journey" opened by the cello and harp, you'll find four young soloists poised to shape the future of music. But they're not just any young talents. They've already made a name for themselves in domestic and international competitions, and are recognized as the future leaders of the music world. Today's performance marks the moment when their talents will ignite all at once.
■Suguru Haruta (Clarinet)
Nielsen: Clarinet Concerto
Having won first prize in the 93rd Japan Music Competition Clarinet Division and numerous other awards, Haruta is a prodigy who has impressed judges with his "range of expression" and "narrative music." Nielsen's concerto is a difficult piece swirling with loneliness, conflict, explosion, and prayer, but Haruta conquers it all with his "power to tell a story." The notes leap, scream, whisper, and move towards the light. There will surely be moments when you think, "Is the clarinet really this human?"
■Yosuke Shimizu (Cello)
Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme
Having won first prize at the 2024 Bratislava International Cello Competition and numerous other awards in domestic and international competitions, this rising star has been highly praised for the "depth of his sound" and "transparent lyricism." The Rococo Variations demand delicate technique and musicality beneath their elegance, but Shimizu's performance transcends all of these requirements with effortless ease. With each note that rises, one is astonished, thinking, "Can the cello really speak so much?" He takes on the "prologue" spoken by the cello of the wandering monk on stage.
©T.Tairadate
■Kaguya Enoki (Oboe)
Albinoni: Oboe Concerto in D minor
Having won first prize in the oboe division of the 91st Japan Music Competition and placing highly in numerous other competitions, she has attracted attention with her "prayer-like tone" and "single notes that change the atmosphere." Albinoni's concerto is a work in which passion lies hidden within stillness, but Enoki's sound brilliantly depicts both sides of it. With a single note, she changes the atmosphere, with a single breath, she changes the scenery, and plays music that gently lifts the hearts of listeners. Her sound further expands the "prelude to a new world" opened up by the harp.
■Issei Kurihara (Violin)
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto, 1st Movement
A violinist who has won top prizes in numerous competitions both in Japan and abroad, including first prize at the 93rd Japan Music Competition and first prize at the Beethoven International Competition, she has captivated audiences with her "overwhelming concentration" and "straightforward music." Mendelssohn's first movement is a masterpiece in which passion, speed, and lyricism surge all at once, but Kurihara's performance delivers all of it "honestly and directly." The moment the sound takes off, you imagine the future, wondering, "How far will this person go?" She is the most "exciting" presence on today's stage.
■ Riku Okamoto (Conductor)
It is Riku Okamoto who brings together the four uniquely talented soloists and creates a unified flow on this stage.
Connecting concertos, each with its own distinct musical world, and presenting them as a single "journey"—that is by no means an easy task.
However, Okamoto deeply grasps the rhythm of the music, drawing out the individuality of each soloist while organically connecting the whole piece.
Engage in dialogue, offer support, and sometimes guide.
His conducting gives direction and meaning to every sound on stage.
This is the entity that elevates this moment, where four talents meet, into a single, compelling story.