Toho Gakuen School of Music
Encyclopedia
is a private
conservatoire located in Chōfu, Tokyo
, Japan
.
, composition
, conducting
and musicology
.
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
conservatoire located in Chōfu, Tokyo
Chofu, Tokyo
is a city located in the western end of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 224,878 and a population density of 10,440 persons per km². The total area was 21.53 km². Tokyo Stadium in Chōfu hosts soccer games for two J. League teams: F.C...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
History
Toho Gakuen was founded in 1948 in Kudan (Tokyo) as a music school for children, and two years later opened the Toho High School of Music, to provide quality musical education to teenage girls. 1955 saw the establishment of the Junior College and in 1961 the Junior College becomes the Toho Gakuen College Music Department. The College of Music was a pioneer in offering university-level degrees in music in Japan. In 1995 the Toho Orchestra Academy was established in Toyama and in 1999 opened the Toho Gakuen Graduate School, which offers postgraduate degrees.Studies
Through its highschool, college and graduate school, Toho Gakuen offers studies from preparatory diplomas to master degrees in all orchestral instruments, pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
, conducting
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
and musicology
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
.
Notable staff members
- Seiji OzawaSeiji Ozawais a Japanese conductor, particularly noted for his interpretations of large-scale late Romantic works. He is most known for his work as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and principal conductor of the Vienna State Opera.-Early years:...
,conductor - Kazuyoshi AkiyamaKazuyoshi Akiyamais a Japanese conductor.-Biography:Born into a musical family, he studied piano at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, but was fascinated by the conducting activities of a fellow student, Seiji Ozawa. He decided to study conducting with Hideo Saito...
, conductor - Minoru NojimaMinoru Nojimais a Japanese classical pianist.Minoru Nojima was a child prodigy in Japan, won a major nationwide competition there as a teenager, studied with Lev Oborin in Moscow and then with Constance Keene and Abram Chasins in New York, and burst upon the international music scene as a second prize winner of...
, pianist (research professor) - Keiko AbeKeiko Abeis a Japanese composer and marimba player. She has been a primary figure in the development of the marimba, in terms of expanding both technique and repertoire, and through her collaboration with the Yamaha musical instrument company, developed the modern five-octave concert marimba.- Biography...
, marimba (professor emeritus) - Takekuni HirayoshiTakekuni Hirayoshiwas a Japanese classical composer.Takekuni Hirayoshi graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts Department of Music in 1961 and completed his graduate work there in 1967. He studied with Yoshio Hasegawa and Yoshiho Ikuma . He was the 1969 recipient of the Otaka Award...
, composer - Akio YasuraokaAkio Yasuraokais a Japanese composer.Yasuraoka studied with composers Teruyuki Noda and Akira Miyoshi graduating Tokyo University of the Arts in 1984 with a Masters degree in music composition...
, composer - Hiroshi WakasugiHiroshi Wakasugiwas a Japanese orchestra conductor. He premiered many of the major Western operas in Japan, and was honoured with many awards for cultural achievement....
, conductor
Notable alumni
- Seiji OzawaSeiji Ozawais a Japanese conductor, particularly noted for his interpretations of large-scale late Romantic works. He is most known for his work as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and principal conductor of the Vienna State Opera.-Early years:...
, conductor - Kazuyoshi AkiyamaKazuyoshi Akiyamais a Japanese conductor.-Biography:Born into a musical family, he studied piano at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, but was fascinated by the conducting activities of a fellow student, Seiji Ozawa. He decided to study conducting with Hideo Saito...
, conductor, - Tadaaki OtakaTadaaki Otakais a Japanese-born, British-based conductor. He studied composition, theory, and French horn, at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, and later was a conducting student of Hideo Saito....
, conductor - Minoru NojimaMinoru Nojimais a Japanese classical pianist.Minoru Nojima was a child prodigy in Japan, won a major nationwide competition there as a teenager, studied with Lev Oborin in Moscow and then with Constance Keene and Abram Chasins in New York, and burst upon the international music scene as a second prize winner of...
, pianist - Hiroko NakamuraHiroko Nakamurais a Japanese pianist. She is the youngest, and the second Japanese prizewinner at the 7th International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition...
, pianist - Kyoko EdoKyoko EdoKyoko Edo is a pianist, artistic director, and president of the Arion-Edo Foundation.After graduating from the Conservatoire N.S.M.P., she performed with the symphony orchestras of Chicago, the Radio France Symphony Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra, etc. and so on as soloist.She founded the...
, pianist - Tōru YasunagaTōru Yasunagais a Japanese violinist. Yasunaga is an active chamber musician and soloist, and has been a member of the Berlin Philharmonic since 1977, serving as concertmaster since 1983, until his retirement in March 2009.- Biography :...
, violinist - Koichiro HaradaKoichiro HaradaKoichiro Harada is a Japanese mathematician working on finite group theory, who proved the Gorenstein–Harada theorem classifying finite simple groups of sectional 2-rank at most 4, and who discovered the Harada–Norton group....
, founding member of the Tokyo String QuartetTokyo String QuartetThe is an international string quartet.The group formed in 1969 at the Juilliard School of Music. The founding members attended the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, where they studied with Professor Hideo Saito. Soon after its formation the Quartet won First Prizes at the Coleman Competition,... - Sadao Harada, founding member of the Tokyo String QuartetTokyo String QuartetThe is an international string quartet.The group formed in 1969 at the Juilliard School of Music. The founding members attended the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, where they studied with Professor Hideo Saito. Soon after its formation the Quartet won First Prizes at the Coleman Competition,...
- Kazuhide Isomura, founding member of the Tokyo String QuartetTokyo String QuartetThe is an international string quartet.The group formed in 1969 at the Juilliard School of Music. The founding members attended the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, where they studied with Professor Hideo Saito. Soon after its formation the Quartet won First Prizes at the Coleman Competition,...
- Yoshiko Nakura, founding member of the Tokyo String QuartetTokyo String QuartetThe is an international string quartet.The group formed in 1969 at the Juilliard School of Music. The founding members attended the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, where they studied with Professor Hideo Saito. Soon after its formation the Quartet won First Prizes at the Coleman Competition,...
- Akiko SuwanaiAkiko Suwanaiis a Japanese classical violinist.She was the youngest winner of the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1990. In addition, she won second place in the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in 1989 and is a laureate of the International Japan Competition.She has studied with Toshiya Eto at the...
, violinist - Nobuko ImaiNobuko Imai, is a Japanese classical violist with an extensive career as soloist and chamber musician. Since 1988 she plays an Andrea Guarneri of 1690.-Biography:...
, violist - Mayuko KamioMayuko KamioMayuko Kamio is a Japanese violinist.Kamio currently studies with Zakhar Bron at the Hochschule Musik und Theater in Zurich, Switzerland. She plays a Stradivarius from 1727, previously owned by Joseph Joachim, on loan from Suntory...
, violinist - Megumi KandaMegumi Kanda, born in , is a Japanese trombone performer.-Early life:Kanda began playing trombone at the age of 10 in Tokyo, Japan, and attended the Toho High School of Music, where she won first prize in a Japanese national competition....
, principal trombonist of the Milwaukee Symphony OrchestraMilwaukee Symphony OrchestraThe Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its primary performing venue is the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts... - František BrikciusFrantišek BrikciusFrantišek Brikcius is a Czech cellist.-Life:František Brikcius was born in Prague, into a family with a distinguished cultural background. From early childhood he began to play the cello and quickly developed into a competent student...
, cellist - David CurrieDavid Currie (conductor)David Currie is a Canadian conductor who is the music director and conductor for the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. Currie is also an assisant professor at the University of Ottawa, where he teaches double bass and conducting, and conducts the university orchestra....
, conductor - Kentarō Haneda, composer, arranger, and pianist
- Hong-Jae KimHong-Jae KimKim Hong-Jae is a Zainichi Korean conductor.-Early life:The first experience of music at his early age was an upright piano at his mother's maiden home. In 1967, he entered Amagasaki Korean Middle School and studied clarinet in school band. He also studied improved Korean folk instruments sent...
, conductor - Aimi KobayashiAimi Kobayashiis a classical pianist.She lived in Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan until February 2007 and later in Tokyo, started studying piano at the age of three, played with an orchestra at age seven, and has been receiving tutelage from Yuko Ninomiya since the age of eight. Awards include three Yamaguchi...
, pianist - KokiaKokia (singer)is a Japanese singer-songwriter, who performs under the stage name Kokia . She is best known for her songs and "The Power of Smile." She is also recognised for her numerous contributions to anime/game soundtracks, the most notable being "Ai no Melody/Chōwa Oto " for the film...
, singer, composer - Yukie NishimuraYukie Nishimurais a prolific Japanese pianist.Nishimura studied at the Toho Gakuen School of Music. Her piano style is light easy listening, her works are sometimes heard on television in Japan, and she has a following in Hong Kong and China.-Discography:* Angelique...
, pianist - Yoko NozakiYoko NozakiYoko Nozaki is a pianist and musician, specializing in chamber music, and the wife of Grammy Award-winning pianist Emanuel Ax.Nozaki was born in Tokyo, Japan and studied at the Toho School of Music. At age 12, she and her family moved to the United States. She entered The Juilliard School in New...
, pianist - Eiji OueEiji Oueis a Japanese conductor.Oue began his conducting studies with Hideo Saito of the Toho Gakuen School of Music. In 1978, Seiji Ozawa invited him to spend the summer studying at the Tanglewood Music Center. While there, he met Leonard Bernstein, who became a mentor. Oue won the Tanglewood...
, conductor. - Heiichiro OhyamaHeiichiro Ohyamais a Japanese conductor and violist.He has a long-established reputation as a remarkable conductor and one of the nation’s most renowned violists. In addition to his post as Music Director and Conductor of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, he is also the Principal Chief Conductor of Kyushu...
, conductor - Hitomi ShimizuHitomi ShimizuHitomi Shimizu is a keyboardist and composer of live action films, television programs, animated shorts and videogames. She is part of a musical duo with violinist Hiromi Nishida called Syzygys. Born in Nara, Japan, she majored in music composition at the Toho Gakuen School of Music...
, composer - Airi SuzukiAiri Suzuki (violinist)is a Japanese violinist. She joined the Toho Gakuen School of Music in 2005. In 2006, she was second prize winner in the XIII Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition. Suzuki performed her debut recital at Yokosuka in spring 2005 and was selected as best talented young violinist...
, violinist - Yūji TakahashiYuji Takahashiis a Japanese composer, performer, pianist and author.Studied under Roh Ogura and Minao Shibata at the Toho Gakuen School of Music. In 1960, he made his debut as a pianist by performing Bo Nilsson's Quantitaten. He lived in Europe from 1963 to 1966 where he worked with Iannis Xenakis. He gave the...
, composer, arranger, and pianist