PTNA NEWS LETTER 2015 www.piano.or.jp/english

Piano Teachers’ National Association of 1-15-1 Sugamo Toshima-ku, 170-8458 JAPAN Tel: +81 (0)3 3944 1581 Fax: +81 (0)3 3944 8838 [email protected]

PTNA (PIANO TEACHERS’ NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of JAPAN), founded by Time for Teamwork! Yasuko Fukuda, is a nonprofi t organization of professional piano and music teachers. Duo with Dialogue Makes Double Eff ect Our mission is to advance the value of piano and music teachers committed to furthering a higher level of the pedagogical skills, and to explore cultural and artistic activities by ways of piano. We encourage piano and music teachers in the community to improve the quality of piano pedagogy and performance studies, promote a rich humanism from music pedagogy, communicate with internal and external associations, and contribute to a broader cultural development.

-Established : 1966 -Chairperson: Nobuyuki Idei -Vice Chairperson: Yuichiro Hata, Yuko Ninomiya

-CEO: Seikoh Fukuda Nobuyuki Idei -Board Members: Trustees, Treasurers. Advisor, Councilors -Groups & Committees Biggest Number of Partici- “Pre-Elementary Grade in Duo”, “Con- *Administration and Organization Group certo with Two Pianos” both in the duo *Research Group pants Ever in 2015! division, and “GrandMuse G Grade” in *STEP Project Group *Competition Group The PTNA Piano Competition had the solo division. -Networks: Branches (124), Stations (421) the biggest number of participants ever, -Number of Members: 15,296 43,486 in total. The statistics show a Pre-Elementary for Duo, -Membership Status: Authorized 112.9% increase since 2011, which and 2,849 Pairs in Total member, Teacher, Performer, Researcher, dropped to a record low in recent Supporter, Student, Corporation, years, as a result of continuous effort This year, 2,849 pairs applied to Grandmuse (amateurs) as of 9/12/2015 of improvements and renewals for the duo division in total, which was a participants of all ages and purposes. 112% increase as compared to last year.

15,000 This year, the growth partly owes to the This division was reshaped to allow

14,000 Number of Members establishment of three new categories; more younger generations to take part 13,000 in it. “The Pre-Elementary Grade” was

12,000 established for those under 8 years

11,000 old each, and 540 pairs participated 10,000 in total. There seemed to be a lot of 9,000 educational effects of practicing to- 8000 gether toward a shared goal. There was 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 a little brother-sister pair who made a PTNA News Letter 2015

Superior. (Collaborators: Aki Kuroda, lot of progress through the preparation professor of Tokyo College of Music) Natsuki Nishimoto, Erika Harada, Rika process. According to their teacher, the gave a lecture on this new category, in Handa, Miwa Hoyano, Eri Mantani) brother took the lead in music making, regards to the musical difference be- while preparing solo pieces at the same tween works written for two pianos and More Dialogues in New Mu- time, and the sister gradually overcame with two pianos, as well sical Analysis Booklet her awkwardness by seeing his efforts, as the educational effect of playing two and finally performed with confidence pianos. Musical Analysis booklets for the on stage. They proceeded to the region- required repertoires of PTNA Piano al final round. The Extended Role of the Competition have assisted textual 2nd Teacher- POST System interpretation and understanding of mu- Concerto with Two Pianos sic since 2007. This year, the booklets PTNA launched a new online are remarkably improved to be easily The PTNA Piano Competition service called “PTNA Online Second understood and useful. 18 musicians launches another new category in the Teacher (POST)”. There are some including , piano teachers and duo division, “Concerto with Two Pia- overseas members who occasionally composers engaged in the analyzing nos”. There are two age groups for the provide online piano lessons to stu- works. Some pieces were analyzed soloist part, under 18 (required reper- dents in Japan who are seeking second by two people in order to show how toires) and over 18 (free repertoires). opinions. Here is the procedure. Once different and diverse the interpretations As there is no age limit for pianists you film your performance on video could be. One of the composers and of the orchestral part, participants can or iphone and upload it on youtube, theorists, Tetsuya Akiyama, says that play together with those who have the feedback comments will be given the musical analysis is not a definite in- rich ensemble experiences, or with within 7-14 days by one of the online terpretation, but one of the viewpoints sufficient knowledge of orchestra and teachers you designated. The written to see the score. “I assume that this conducting. comments are shown on the right side booklet could become a partner of your In March, of the screen so that you can see your dialogue to interpret the music and to Mari Takeda performance and comments simulta- conceive your own (Chair of neously. You can replay and relearn idea.” Likewise, the PTNA anytime you want. This service was Mitsuyo Esaki, the Media open for participants of the 2015 PTNA chairperson of the Committee, Piano Competition, from Grade B to Selection Com-

Oustanding Young Piano Teachers! Piano Competition in in 2005, and the 2002 PTNA Grand Prize winner, began Pianists in their 20s-30s show outstanding achievement teaching children just 3 years ago after in teaching. studying in NY for 3 years and returning Hironao Suzuki, 5th prize in Hamamatsu to Japan in 2012. He has been invited as International Piano Competition in 2003, a lecturer of PTNA seminars from 64 venues so far to and 6th prize in Busoni Piano Competition demonstrate the required repertoires of PTNA Piano in 2000, currently serves as a lecturer Competition. He would like to help students to seek and at Tokyo College of Music and teaches find their own expressions, whatever their ages are. One various laureates. He taught the 2015 PTNA Grand Prize of his current students, Shogo Sawada, got the gold prize winner, Sayako Shinonaga, as well as the silver prize in Grade G, the 2nd highest grade. winners of Grand Superior in 2014 and 2011 (Mayaka Rintaro Akamatsu, the 3rd prize winner Nakagawa, Kei Takumi), and the bronze prize winner in of the Clara Schumann Piano Competition 2012 (Kanade Tsurusawa), just to name a few. According in 2000 has been active in performing, to him, his teaching style could be described as “Y”; the recording and teaching across Japan. He bottom “I” is what he teaches, and the upper “V” is what has taught 273 competition participants so students develop by themselves. far, including prize winners of Grade Superior such as Shohei Sekimoto, the 4th prize winner of the Chopin Nozomu Sugawara (Grand Prize 2011), Mai Koshio (Silver in 2015), and Tomoya Umeda (Bronze in 2014). mittee of Required Repertoires, recom- They played repertoires for the 2nd or mends each user to figure out a clue to 3rd rounds which they did not have a interpret the music, not a solution. chance to play. Now the recordings are The booklets also add an introduc- on the PTNA Youtube Channel. tory chapter to help readers understand composers’ messages correctly and Active Learning Scheme in how to apply musical analysis to their Studio Visiting Program performances effectively. PTNA Studio Visiting Program sic history, and sight reading, 3.seminar 12 Alumni Participated in expands its service. Now the applicants reports, 4.teaching demonstration). Af- the Chopin Competition can choose from two options, lesson ter 20 years, the renewed license sys- observation or lesson trial, depending tem now requires applicants to update 12 Japanese contestants on the style that demonstrators offer. it every three years by taking certain went to the 17th Internation- The former consists of 2h observa- points in each level (elementary, inter- al Chopin Piano Competi- tion and 0.5h discussion, whereas the mediate, advanced). In addition to this tion in Warsaw, where Aimi latter provides 1h observation and major transformation, the performance (c)Wojciech Kobayashi (2011 Yasuko Grzedzinski / 1.5h lesson trial, which is more like an test for the advanced level license has Fukuda Prize)became one NIFC active-learning platform. This program changed to a pass/fail basis, instead of of the finalists. All of them becomes available throughout the year. a participation basis, to certify a certain had experienced PTNA Piano Compe- level of performing ability. tition from their childhood and knew Teachers’ License System Anyone who passes any of the three each other well, and so supported one Enhances Lifelong Learning levels is enabled to indicate a special another during the competition. In label on his/her individual webpage November, PTNA organized a special The PTNA Piano Teachers Ex- on PTNA Teachers’ Matching Service public recording concert for them in amination is reorganized as the Piano for three years. For those who pass all which Mayaka Teachers’ License System. This ex- three levels, they will be entitled to be Nakagawa, amination was inaugurated in 1996 to recommended as a PTNA authorized Yurika Kimura, examine teaching skills both in theory member. This new license system is Mariko No- and performance for the excellence expected to upgrade well-balanced gami, and Nao of the art of teaching (1.performance, teaching and performance skills in the Mieno joined. 2.music theory, harmonic analysis, mu- long run.

Whom Do You Study With? understands that parents are sometimes more overexcited than the participants How do young pianists keep their motivation toward themselves. It is important for parents a big goal, and how do teachers, family, and friends to trust children and let them do it support their studies? themselves as much as possible. Shigeno Hiroko Saito, whose more than 1/5 of her 500 expects that the new “work sheet” will students take part in the PTNA Piano Competition help children clarify the goal, reflect the every year, believes that competitions are one process, and keep their motivation for the of the keys to accelerate the progress in score approaching few months. reading, technique, and musical expressions, Duo partners are also encouraging collaborators who especially for kids in Grade A2-A1. Although other can share the process and goal toward the same goal. educational materials are left behind for a while, as Yuna Haba and Tomone Ikeuchi (14& 16), who are good they have to focus on the required repertoires for a friends, enjoy practicing together few months, it is evident that they make progress for competitions and are happy dramatically afterward. to play together on stage. Thanks to the duo experience, Haba says, Then how are parents supporting children? Miki that she can also play effectively Shigeno, a piano teacher and mother of two daughters, with singers or woodwind instruments. PTNA News Letter 2015

and PTNA Community blogs (over 675,000pv/year, a 112% increase). More Identities, Here are some of their activities. More Ideas in STEP -Making the First Public Stage Debut with Family Members

4 family ensemble groups made their debuts at Hiroshima Nishi- II STEP. Akiko Koshiro, a teaching mem- ber, suggests those little students to play with family members at their first public performances, to make this op- portunity special. Some children invit- ed their parents to practice with them, or some family members ask piano teachers to give lessons secretly. It is also nice for their family members to know how difficult it is to keep practic- ing and to prepare for the stage, which Stages for 45,126 People! gers for her little student. It allows her would enhance their lifetime support. The PTNA STEP, the non-competi- to concentrate on the appropriate use tive evaluations with concert platform, of fingers, hand shape, and body relax- -STEP Passport for Review- has been steadily and spontaneously ation. The debutant’s stage was placed ing the Entire Study Process developing, and the number of partici- in between the senior groups, and was pants reached 45,126 (530 venues), filled with a pleasant and welcoming Yoshiko Tokai, a teaching member, a 103.9% increase since last year. atmosphere. always writes comments to students’ “Continuity” is one of the keywords Making one’s stage debut is always “STEP Passport” respectively after of STEP, and it evokes enthusiasm and possible, whatever your age and level their participation. This passport is desire to improve oneself more. Nowa- are. The statistics from the participants given to every participant to record days STEP venues tend to use concert this year shows that 12,740 partici- their stage experiences. In her opinion, halls with good acoustics, even if they pants (28.2% of the total number of it is teachers who know how much stu- ask extra charges to participants (25% participants, 45,126) are newcomers. dents made efforts and made progress, of venues). And 45% of venues encour- 71.7% of them are under 10 years old therefore, reviewing the entire process age participants to listen to professional (9,142 participants), 22.5% are teenag- is important. performances by advisors in between ers (2,868 participants), and 5.3% are the sessions (Talk Concert). over 20, and the oldest newcomer is 78 -A Workshop to Learn How years old! The rest are the participants to Behave on Stage Making Stage Debut When- as teams. ever Ready! Yuko Okada, the representative Stations Increased 4 Times of South West Station provided This year, STEP introduces “Pre- in 10 Years a workshop to learn how to behave Introductory level” for little kids who on stage properly. She did some brief need parental guidance. 210 children The number of STEP Stations research on pos- between two and six years old have reached 421, almost 4 times more ture and attitudes already made their stage debut. Nor- in the last 10 years. Each station has by reading several iko Matsumoto, the representative of its own unique identity and ideas, books written by -Tsurumi-Hanamizuki Station, which are shared with each other orthopedists, and chose a small piece for two or three fin- through face-to-face communications at the workshop, Performed Musical Medley she invited 15 participants on stage to while con- follow the instructions. According to In Okayama, STEP participants and centrating on her, the fundamental of the manners is their audience enjoyed the musical per- academic stud- to make the natural flow on stage from formance “Mamma-Mia song medley” ies as well. He walking, taking a bow, playing piano, by 14 high school students who major is determined and walking off the stage, as all are in musical performance. Akiko Matsu- to live with the parts of the entire performance. moto, the representative of Okayama piano as a lifelong friend. Mikako, his Dream Station, invited them as she mother and a supporting member, real- -Play Own Compositions wanted young pianists to know other ized how much her musical network genres of music as well as the wide has been broadened through STEP. Kunio Sasaki, a composer and the variety of possibilities and paths that representative of KSM Station (Chiba) playing the piano provides. Matsumoto -Truly Blended Sounds from suggests everyone should study both has been building a good partnership a Senior Couple Duo piano and composition, in order to with local institutions and organiza- understand the music in depth. One of tions, and this time, the local high Yuzo & Yukie Ozaki made a duo his colleagues, a piano teacher, began school and concert hall were coopera- performance at the Grand- to study harmonics and composition tive in participating and promoting. Muse STEP. Yuzo, the husband stud- recently, and played her own piece ied piano when he was in elementary for the first time in STEP. There were -Stage for Teachers, Organi- school, and resumed at the age of 50, another 6 participants from children to zation and Participation for while Yukie, the wife, who prefers adults who performed their own works. 10 years sports, started playing piano recently as Sasaki believes that the basic skills of their two daughters also enjoy play- music are nurtured through listening Two piano teachers and STEP ing. They listen and communicate with to music, reading scores, composing organizers in Ehime, Sayoko Miyauchi each other well, and their sound is truly pieces, and performing, and thus he and Yayoi Taniguchi, have continued blended. will continue to offer stages for those playing as a duo on stage for over 10 who try to share their creative works. years. They think it meaningful to set -A Flash Mob of 70 Musi- up a goal, practice together, and share cians Wrap Up STEP -Encouraging Male Partici- their opinions, however busy they are. pants of All Ages A piano teacher in Hiroshima, Ikue After all the STEP performances Kurusu, participated in STEP to be- ended, suddenly a wind quintet started At the 10th memorial STEP organized come a “student” herself to learn and to play an animation song (Tonari-no by “Maido! Okini!” (Thanks Always!)” make efforts together with her own Totoro), and one by one, instrumental- Station, 22 male participants played in a students. Despite her long career as a ists, singers, and chorus joined, which special section for “Ikemen (handsome piano teacher, she has never given up finally formed a group of 70 musicians! guy)”. This section started several years learning more, and her attitude even Yes, it was a flash mob, planned by ago to encour- opens up the hearts and minds of young Eriko Nakamura, the representative age boys and students who are in the face of difficult of Toyama Tulip Station. This was a men who might times. big success to get every generation feel awkward involved, from little kids to people in being sur- -STEP is for a Lifetime! their 60s. rounded by girls Four Achieved 100 Stages and women, since the latter are still dominant in the Four participants were awarded music world. So far, “Ikemen” from ages their 100th participation in STEP. 3 to 88 joined. Jun Moriyama, the repre- Among them, a mother and son got sentative, always invites male advisors to prizes at the same time. The son, To- cheer them up. mohiro Tsuruoka, was 7 years old at the -Local High School Students first participation, and has continued playing on stage for the past 10 years, PTNA News Letter 2015

his outstand- Awards & Achievements ing talent and achievements in his teens. of PTNA Members He combined Ravel’s Gas- pard de la Nuit with works of French composers like Tristan Murail and Faure, as well as Liszt and Chopin who were influenced by French culture. This series was inaugurated in 1990, in which young pianists of promising tal- ent have made their recital debuts.

Remarkable Achievements in Affiliated Competitions

PTNA has been building a network of national / local piano competitions across Japan since 2010. Now, the number of affiliated competitions has reached 17. Here are some examples. Sayako Shinonaga won the In the 5th Japan J.S.Bach Music Grand Prize! The 3rd prize was given to Yui Mi- Concours, 1,212 finalists out of 3,044 kami, and fourth prize to Sogo Sawada. participants performed Bach’s pieces The scholarship prizes are obliged to be for 3 days in Tokyo in February. Naomi Sayako Shinonaga won the Grand used for studying abroad. The 3 inter- Ishii, the executive chairperson, pub- Prize of the 39th PTNA Piano Compe- national jury members were Prof.Jan lished scores without any descriptions tition! She performed Rachmaninov’s Jiracek von Arnim, Prof.Michael Lewin or ornamentations, in order to enhance piano concerto No.1 brilliantly with and Prof.Stanislav Ioudenitch. young pianists in particular to read and the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra interpret them by themselves. conducted by Kazumasa Watanabe, PTNA Teenage Pianists Se- Kana Watanabe (8) got the highest in the final round of Grade Superior. ries Resumed after 5 Years! prize in the B category of Concorso Sayako is in her senior year at the Piano Talents in . She was chosen Tokyo College of Music. The silver “The Recital Series for Teenage and dispatched by the The Milano Ju- prize went to Mai Koshio, and bronze Talented Pianists” is back! Tomoki nior Piano Competition held in Japan, to Yuna Tamogami. Sakata (21), the PTNA Grand Prize one of the affiliated competitions. winner in 2011 and the youngest final- The preliminary round of The Asian Two Young Pianists Shared ist of the Van Cliburn International Pia- Youth Music Competition, one of the the Yasuko Fukuda Prize! no Competition in 2013, was chosen as newly added affiliates this year, was a soloist of this special session, due to held in Tokyo and 4 top prize winners The 7th Yasuko Fukuda were chosen to be the contestants in Scholarship Audition was Hong Kong next February. held from August 25th -28th in Tokyo. After 3 lessons and CrossGiving Bridges Thai- the final concert, Yasuko Fu- land and Japan rumi and Yukine Kuro- ki won and shared the Atsuko Seta, living in Thailand, had Yasuko Fukuda Prize. a series of charity concerts in Japan based on the contributions through “PTNA CrossGiving”. Inc. Based on past articles on PTNA The 3rd IFPS Conference in 20 people donated to website, this book further illustrates Tianjin, China this project and PTNA the music learning as liberal arts and as matched the professional study, and the history of On August 8th, the 3rd IFPS other half of the the liberal arts from ancient Greece. Conference (International Federa- amount requested. tion of Piano Societies) was held in In November, A Conference to Discuss Tianjin,China, having 12 attendees rep- Seta provided an Electronic Keyboards resenting 11 piano societies and institu- exchange concerts in Chiang Mai, and tions in 6 countries (Shanghai, Mon- two young Japanese pianists (Mana A conference was held in Tokyo golia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Shoji, Shion Ota) were invited. to discuss how and to what extent Taiwan, Tianjin, Xiamen), and 5 guest electronic keyboards could be used observers (among the jury members of Award from the Emperor for studying piano.Many piano teach- The HITECH 3rd China International ers understand that acoustic pianos are Non-Professional Piano Competition). Yasushi Ueda, a PTNA ideal for nurturing the sensibility for Following the previous conferences in research member, musicol- sounds etc, but understand there are Hong-Kong (2013) and Tokyo (2014), ogist and doctoral candi- students whose living conditions only it was held to exchange information for date at Paris IV University, allow electronic keyboards. Hiroko the advancement of piano education in received “the Award for Saito recommends those students to each country. Creative Mind” which was dedicated use them for score reading, and at the and presented by the Emperor. This same time, teaches the mechanism of R.I.P. Yasuko Nakayama award is given to young researchers proper body and arm movements so as who show remarkable achievements to adopt themselves to acoustic pianos Yasuko Nakayama, the former in their own academic fields. Ueda did when necessary. Natsuki Sawatani, vice president of PTNA and professor research on piano education in 19th a researcher, suggested changing the emeritus of Tokyo University of fine century Paris. tuning according to the pieces, for in- arts and music, passed away on Janu- stance, to play Debussy with the basic ary 16th at the age of 93. She received Music as Liberal Arts tuning of 440 Hz, Bach with the Kirn- “The Social Education Achievement berger’s tuning of 415 Hz, etc. Award” (Ministry of Education) in A book titled “Har- 2004 and “The Order of the Sacred vard University Nurtures Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette” in People through Music -The 2005 for her lifelong achievement. Forefront of the Liberal Arts Education of the 21st century in American Uni- versities”, written by Eriko Sugano, a music journalist and research member, was published from Artes Publishing

PTNA Grand Prize 2015 International Jury Members 2015 Sayako Shinonaga -Jan Jiracek von Arnim (Professor of Universität für Born in 1994,Sayako Shinonaga Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien,Artistic director performed concerto with the Orchestra of the International Beethoven Piano Competition Ensemble Kanazawa under the baton Vienna) of Michiyoshi Inoue in 2009.In 2015, -Michael Lewin (Professer of Boston Conservatory) She won the Grand Prize at the 39th PTNA Piano -Stanislav Ioudenitch(Artistic Director and Competition. She is the senior at the Tokyo College of Associate Professor of Park University, Music, and her current teacher is Hironao Suzuki and Vice President of International Piano Kazuko Sumi. Academy Lake Como) PTNA News Letter 2015 Special Feature : More Speculative Perspectives in Performance and Teaching

“Encyclopedia of Keyboard 1795 and Streicher’s in 1845” (Kikuko a series of concerts which special- Instruments” was Launched Ogura). ized in this concept, and performed works of Toshio Hosokawa’s “Nacht PTNA New Trends in Public Re- Klänge”(1994/96), Jo Kondo’s “Click launches “the cording Concert Series Clack” (1973), Atsuhiko Gondai’s Encyclopedia “Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt” (2011), of Keyboard The PTNA Public Concert Series, etc in the inaugural session in May. Instruments” inaugurated in 2010, reached 100 times to introduce a at the end of last year. The key concept Brain Scientist Proves the variety of key- of this long-lasting project is to record Effect of Piano Playing boards. It is due to the rise of concerns “a variety of piano pieces”, including among pianists and piano teachers unknown or less performed works, and PTNA started “Research Projects”, about the early keyboard instruments has already recorded 1150 pieces so far. principally conducted by Yasushi Ueda and the historical background. Masako And these days, performers have begun (researcher) and Eriko Sugano (journal- Honda, the representative of Suginami to collaborate with researchers. ist) at present, to demonstrate the social Station, recently organized a lecture in Izumi Watanabe held a series of value of music education. The latest which she demonstrated the touch and recital dedicated to Ukrainian most viewed article was an interview tone of a spinet and a clavichord, and Leo Sirota commemorating the 50th with a renowned brain scientist, Toshi- explained how to apply this knowledge anniversary of his passing. She per- yuki Sawaguchi, about the infl uence and experience to modern pianos. One formed pieces from Korngold, Chopin, of piano playing to human brains. The may understand how articulations Busoni, and Liszt, pieces that Sirota statistics below show how the general should be executed, how important it is loved, and a literature scholar told his intelligence of children from ages 8 to listen to the sounds fading away, etc. life story, which was surrounded by to 10 has risen by learning piano for 4 Her next plan is to focus on the stylistic revolution and war. Yasushi Ueda, a months (blue). changes in Beethoven’s Sonata and the musicologist, organized a lecture con- transitions of the keyboard instruments cert together with two pianists, on the at that time. theme of concert programs performed Likewise, some pianists use early in Paris Conservatories in the late 19th keyboards in their concerts, such as and early 20th centuries. The program “Performing C.P.E.Bach, Haydn, etc. included Händel, Couperin, Dusik, by A.Walter’s fortepiano in 1800 and Weber, Heller, Bizet, and Alkan. 1795” (Takako Miyazaki & Genzo This recording project also aims to Takehisa), “Performing Mozart and his diffuse Japanese compositions. Har- generation by A.Walter’s fortepiano in uhi Hata and her colleagues launched

40th PTNA Piano Competition for Promising Pianists Final Round : 18th-21st August, 2016 Tokyo Grand Prize: 1,000,000 Yen, Concerts in Japan and abroad

Past prize winners and Past Jury further careers Second Preliminary 2012 Andrea Bonatta Schedule 2016 Martin Hughes Round Solo Aimi Kobayashi (Finalist, Chopin, 2015)  Kaoru Jitsukawa (3rd, Long-Thibaud, 2015) Li Mingqiang First Preliminary Natalia Troull Dates: August 2 (Tue) + 3 (Wed) Akihiro Sakiya (1st, Jaén, 2014) Rounds Solo Place: Katsushika Symphony Hills Tomoki Sakata (Finalist, Van Cliburn, 2013) 2013 Ronan O'Hora (1) (Tokyo) Boris Petrushansky First Round Kei Takumi (6th, Hamamatsu, 2012) Dates: June 11 (Sat) + 12 (Sun) Jerome Rose Keina Sato (2nd, HongKong, 2011) Deadline: May 9 (Mon) Semi-Final Round Solo 2014 Aquiles Delle Vigne Date: August 18 (Thu) Masataka Goto (1st, Liszt, 2011) Gilead Mishory First Round (2) Place: Dai-ichi Seimei Hall (Tokyo) Mami Hagiwara (1st, Geneva, 2010) Ewa Pobłocka Dates: June 25 (Sat) + 26 (Sun) Nobuyuki Tsujii (1st, Van Cliburn, 2009) Soojung Shin Deadline: May 23 (Mon) Final Round Concerto Hibiki Tamura (1st, Long-Thibaud 2007) 2015 Stanislav Ioudenitch Jan Jiracek von Arnim Date: August 21 (Sun) Rina Sudo (5th, Dublin 2006) First Round (3) Michael Lewin Dates: July 5 (Tue) + 6 (Wed)) Place: Dai-ichi Seimei Hall (Tokyo) Yuhi Ozaki (1st, Ettlingen 2006) Deadline: June 6 (Mon) Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra Shohei Sekimoto (4th, Chopin 2005) Jury 2016 Chikara Iwamura (cond.) Kotaro Fukuma (1st, Cleveland 2003) Diane Andersen 2015 Grand Prize Winner Veronique Bonnecaze Sayako Shinonaga Wolfgang Manz