Press release

A JOINT MUsical RECITAL BY jAPANESE AMBASSADOR HIROSHI OE
AND FOur VISITING JAPANESE MUSICIANS

Islamabad: 6th November 2012

The Embassy of Japan in collaboration with the Turkish Embassy organized a joint music recital on 6th November 2012 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Japan and Pakistan.

Four well-known Japanese musicians, Mr. Kazuhisa Akita, Mr. On Mitani, Ms. Mie Kobayashi and Ms. Yuriko Ito, together with the Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Oe mesmerized the audience with the sweet sounds of piano and violin tunes played by them. The function was held in the auditorium of the Turkish Embassy and attended by a houseful of music lovers.

Brief Profile of the Pianists:

Mr. Kazuhisa Akita (Composer) graduated from Hochschule der Kunste Berlin. He won first prize in the 6th ‘Valentino Bucchi’ International Composition Competition (Italy). He has received prestigious awards at several competitions such as ‘Hambacher Preis’ International Composition Competition (Germany) and the 42nd & 44th Music Competition of Japan. Currently he is a professor at Showa University of Music.

Mr. On Mitani (Piano) graduated from the Toho Gakuen School of Music. He has played solo and chamber music in different parts of the world. He was appointed as “Special Advisor for Cultural Exchange” by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan in 2003.

Ms. Mie Kobayashi (Violin) studied at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. In 1990, she was the first Japanese artist to win first prize at the Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud International Competition for Piano and Violin. As one of Japan’s leading violinists, Kobayashi has recently performed as a soloist with the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, the Prague Symphony Orchestra in Japan and the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra in Beijing. Currently she is a professor at Showa University of Music.

Ms. Yuriko Ito (Piano) graduated from the Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music in Japan and Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory. She also received diploma from Poland National Chopin Academy. Ito has won many prizes at international piano competitions including the first prize at the 5th Great Wall International Piano Competition. She is now Vice director of the Association for Promotion of the Arts.

Mr. Hiroshi Oe started to play the piano at the age of 5, and after a long interval of not playing for more than 30 years, resumed taking lessons again from 2006. He won 2 Gold medals and 2 Silver medals in the Amateur solo and concerto sectors of 2011 International Chopin Competition in Asia. He has played with Tokyo New City Orchestra, as well as the Prima Vista Quartet and the Silesia Philharmonic Orchestra from Poland during their visits to Japan. He also gave a fundraiser concert at the University of Tokyo in 2011 after the earthquake and tsunami.(End)