Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa

About OEK

Composer of the Year

2023-2024Shoichi Yabuta

Shoichi Yabuta

Shoichi Yabuta is one of the most acclaimed Japanese composer of the moment. He has been awarded many prizes: the first prize in the composition category at the 70th Geneva International Music Competition, the grand prize at the Vienna Konzerthaus' 100th Anniversary Composition Competition, the first prize at the SORODHA International Composition Competition 2013, the 2nd prize of the New Note competition in Croatia in 2014, the 2nd Prize at the Japan Music Competition four years in a row (2009-2012). His works have been performed not only in Japan but also in Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, France, Poland, Croatia, Spain, Portugal, the USA, the Philippines and many other countries. Yabuta studied composition at the Tokyo College of Music with Akira Nishimura, Tomiko Kojiba, Reiko Arima, Yutaka Fujiwara and Kunihiko Izuka.

Historic OEK Composer of the Year

2023-2024Shoichi YabutaAccumulate for OrchestraFirst performed:7 September 2024
Performance:Hiroyuki Iwaki Memorial Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Ryusuke Numajiri
2022-2023Shin-ichiro IkebeSymphony No. 11First performed:15 September 2023
Performance:Shin-ichiro Ikebe 80th Birthday Concert
Venue:Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall
Conductor:Junichi Hirokami
Notes:co-commissioned with the Tokyo Opera City Cultural Foundation
2021-2022Toshio HosokawaCeremony for Flute and Orchestra (2022)First performed:1 October 2022 (Japanese Premiere)
Performance:The 459th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Nodoka Okisawa
Notes:co-commissioned with Tonhalle Orchester Zürich
2020-2021Yoichi SugiyamaBerceuse (Autoritratto II) for OrchestraFirst performed:17 March 2022
Performance:The 453rd Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Kentaro Kawase
2019-2020Kenji SakaiJupiter HallucinationFirst performed:27 February 2021
Performance:The 438th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Kentaro Kawase
2018-2019Miho HazamaDom Justo’s FaithFirst performed:25 January 2020
Performance:The 424th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Maxime Pascal
2017-2018Shin-ichiro IkebeBeyond This Wind for OrchestraFirst performed:8 September 2018
Performance:Hiroyuki Iwaki Memorial Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Hubert Soudant
2016-2017Thierry EscaichOrgan Concerto No.3 "Quatre Visages du Temps"First performed:18 July 2017
Performance:The 392nd Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Michiyoshi Inoue
Organ:Thierry Escaich
Notes:co-commissioned with Auditorium-Orchestre national de Lyon and American Guild of Organists
2015-2016Toshi IchiyanagiSymphony No.10 —Scenes of Various MemoriesFirst performed:2 June 2016
Performance:The 377th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Kentaro Kawase
Award:Otaka Prize (2017)
2014-2015Atsuhiko GondaiVice VersaFirst performed:18 July 2015
Performance:The 365th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Michiyoshi Inoue
Award:Otaka Prize (2016)
2012-2014Unsuk ChinGraffiti for large ensembleFirst performed:6 September 2014 (Asian Premiere)
Performance:Hiroyuki Iwaki Memorial Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Kazuki Yamada
Notes:co-commissioned with Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, Barbican and Musik Fabrik
2011-2012Misato Mochizuki3 Mille mondesFirst performed:8 September 2011
Performance:The 306th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Michiyoshi Inoue
2010-2011Takashi KakoVermilion ScapeFirst performed:3 September 2010
Performance:Hiroyuki Iwaki Memorial Concert in Toyama
Venue:Toyama Kenmin Kaikan
Conductor:Michiyoshi Inoue
2009-2010Roger BoutryConcerto for Alto and Soprano SaxophonesFirst performed:6 September 2009
Performance:The 266th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Michiyoshi Inoue
Saxophone:Nobuya Sugawa
2008-2009Shigeaki SaegusaPiano Concerto "Philosophy of Squids"First performed:10 September 2008
Performance:The 246th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall, Ishikawa
Conductor:Michiyoshi Inoue
Piano:Kaori Kimura
Narrator:Toshiya Yabuuchi
2007-2008Toshi IchiyanagiSymphony No. 7 "Ishikawa Paraphrase" —In memory of Hiroyuki IwakiFirst performed:8 January 2008
Performance:The 234th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Michiyoshi Inoue
2006-2007Tokuhide NiimiSinfonia Concertante "Elan Vital"First performed:7 September 2006
Performance:The 206th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Yuzo Toyama
Award:Otaka Prize (2007)
2005-2006Yoshio MamiyaTableaux pour Orchestre 2005First performed:24 November 2005
Performance:The 191st Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
2004-2005Atsuhiko Gondai84000×0=0 for Orchestra, Op.88First performed:19 March 2005
Performance:The 178th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
2004-2005Lera AuerbachConcerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 2, Op. 77First performed:21 September 2004
Performance:The 167th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
Violin:Akiko Suwanai
2003-2004Toshiro SaruyaAneamnesisFirst performed:19 September 2002
Performance:The 147th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
2002-2003Akira MiyoshiThree ImagesFirst performed:8 September 2002
Performance:The 126th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
Piano:Kaori Kimura
Chorus:Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa Chorus, OEK Angel Chorus
2001-2002Teizo MatsumuraTo the night of GethsemaneFirst performed:8 September 2002
Performance:The 126th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
2000-2001Tetsuji EmuraThe Wedge for OrchestraFirst performed:4 September 2000
Performance:Subscription Concert in Niigata
Venue:Niigata City Performing Arts Center
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
1999-2000Hikaru HayashiTHRENUS for OrchestraFirst performed:1 October 1999
Performance:The 85th Subscription Concert
Venue:Kanazawa Kanko Kaikan
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
1998-1999Keiko FujiieGuitar Concerto No. 2 "Koisucho"First performed:12 March 1999
Performance:The 80th Subscription Concert
Venue:Ishikawa Kouseinenkin Kaikan
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
Guitar:Kazuhito Yamashita
Award:Otaka Prize (2000)
1997-1998Shin-ichiro IkebeLes Bois Tristes for OrchestraFirst performed:3 September 1998
Performance:The 75th Subscription Concert
Venue:Kanazawa Kanko Kaikan
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
Award:Otaka Prize (1999)
1996-1997.4Toshiro MayuzumiPassacaglia (unfinished)First performed:31 August 1997
Performance:The 67th Subscription Concert
Venue:Kanazawa Kanko Kaikan
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
1995-1996.2Toru Takemitsu(unfinished)
1993-1995Joji YuasaPiano ConcertinoFirst performed:24 September 1994
Performance:The 4th Nagoya Subscription Concert
Venue:Aichi Performing Arts Theatre Concert Hall
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
Piano:Kaori Kimura
1992-1993Akira NishimuraBirds HeterophonyFirst performed:19 September 1993
Performance:The 2nd Nagoya Subscription Concert
Venue:Aichi Performing Arts Theatre Concert Hall
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
1991-1992Yuzo ToyamaSymphonic IshikawaFirst performed:24 October 1992
Performance:The 7th National Cultural Festival Opening Ceremony
Venue:Kanazawa Kanko Kaikan
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
1988-1991Maki IshiiFushi (Gestalt des Windes) 2First performed:3 October 1989
Performance:Europalia Arts Festival 1989
Venue:Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
Nohkan:Michiko Akao
1988-1991Toshi IchiyanagiChamber Concerto "The Origin" with Solo KotoFirst performed:3 October 1989
Performance:Europalia Arts Festival 1989
Venue:Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
Conductor:Hiroyuki Iwaki
Koto:Chieko Fukunaga