The nine-year-old training ensemble known as Seiji Ozawa Ongaku-juku—comprised of musicians in their late teens and twenties who perform orchestral and opera repertoire, coached by the conductor Seiji Ozawa—is embarking on a tour of China this April. Repertoire will include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and Ravel’s Ma Mère L’Oye (“Mother Goose”) Suite, which the group will perform at the Tianjin Grand Theatre on April 13, the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing on April 15, and the Shanghai Grand Theatre on April 17. Ozawa, currently music director of the Vienna State Opera, was born in Shenyang, China, and has returned there frequently to conduct. Prior to his position at the Vienna State Opera, Ozawa served as music director of the San Francisco Symphony, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Boston Symphony Orchestra. In addition to Ongaku-juku, Ozawa is also founder of two other teaching institutions: the Swiss Academy and the Saito Kinen Chamber Music Study Group for Young People.
Posted March 27, 2009
