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PTNAPTNA Celebrating 40th Anniversary NNewsewsLLetteretter 11,000 Piano Teachers Network Expands 11,000 teachers, 300 branches & stations, committees, are voluntarily involved.

T N A i s more than 1,400 celebrating the teachers and students, P40th anniversary all listening earnestly since its establishment to each word of Mr. in 1966 by late Madame Zimerman. For this Yasuko Fukuda. For event, committee the betterment of the members spent time in planning and pedagogical skills of organizing. Also all piano teachers, and the advertisement exploring cultural and and administration artistic activities by were done by the ways of piano, we have committee members. carried out many things (Cooperation by in the past 40 years. At Steinway Japan) the moment, there are more than 11,000 PTNA In the second event members, and over we had Mr. Franz Mr.Krystian Zimerman and the members of 300 branches and stations in the country. And nearly 200 PTNA Festival committee. (May 5th, 2006) Mohr, the piano tuner committee members currently involved in the administration of Vladmir Horowitz, of PTNA. Following two committees are some of them. as the guest lecturer. We also welcome a model pianist Alexander Kobrin from Russia, who performed Chopin’s The Engine of PTNA- Committee Nocturne and music by Rachmaninoff on the Steinway piano No.314,503 that Horowitz loved. The concert hall was fi lled estival Committee--Prof. Mieko Harimoto (professor with big applause. of Tokyo College of Music) as chairperson, 30 ompetition Repertoire Selection Committee-- members of Festival Committee takes charge of F PTNA piano competition changes repertoires every planning and executing major festivals once a year. The year, aiming at effective learning of music. The committee is made of music college professors and C Committee (Chair:Ms.Mitsuyo Esaki) of 30 teachers takes independent piano teachers. leadership of selecting those required pieces. This year three major events were organized for One of the characteristics is that pieces from four different celebrating the 40th anniversary of the foundation of PTNA; periods(baroque, classical, romantic, contemporary) are “Zimerman Talks about the Heart of Music” (May 5th), “The required to each grade. It intends to make children study Ultimate Piano that the Masters Sought” (December 1st), all periods of style thoroughly, as well as to understand the and “Evening of Piano Concertos” (March 28th), and fi rst broad range of music all over the world. two of them were led by festival committee. Mr.Shohei Sekimoto who won the Grand Prix in 2003 In the fi rst event, we welcomed renowned pianist, Mr. Piano Teachers' (who is also the fourth prize winner in the 2005 Chopin National Association Krystian Zimerman in a public master class form (model International Piano Competition in Warsaw) is one of those of Japan, Incorporated pianist: Shohei Sekimoto) and lecture. The audience was who has studied through our system since elementary school. by the Japanese Government left) Maestro Zimerman at masterclass(May) 1-15-1 Sugamo, right) Mr.Franz Mohr and Mr.Alexander Koblin at festival (Dec) 326 teachers received Teachers' Award of 2006 at PTNA Piano Competition. Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-8458, Japan Tel: +81-3-3944-1583 Fax: +81-3-3944-8838 E-mail: [email protected] 30th PTNA Piano Competition PTNA

Hitomi Maeyama, a new Grand Prix born Young talents meets Prof.Zelikman

iscovery and nurcharing he 30th PTNA Piano Competition was young talents through the held from May through the end of August Dcompetition is one of our T2006. Ms. Hitomi Maeyama (19, Moscow objectives. Jr.G grade is designed Conservatory) became the grand prize winner, and was especially for the special talents offered the opportunity to tour around Germany and under 16. This year, the masterclass Italy. (December 16th, Mannheim Youth Orchestra, for Jr.G fi nalists was held in June, inviting Prof.Tatiana Zelikman from Prof.Tatiana Zelikman(Moscow February 17th, Bologna Academia Philharmonica) Gnessins music liceum) gave 2days Moskow. masterclass to 16 young pianists. In Ms. Maeyama’s solo repertoire including Mendelssohn, Haydn and Rachmaninoff, and Mozart Winners' concert with international guest concerto No.20, her sensible musicality and personality were well presented. She also received high appreciation n March 2007, from audience. This year, orchestra was adopted for there will be a the concerto adjudication of Grade Superior. We are Icommemoration planning to use professional orchestra further on in 2007. concert for prize winners of solo and This year’s international jury was Prof. Guiseppe Fausto duo division, and 40 Modugno (Music Advisor of Accademia Filarmonica laureates will perform. di Bologna), Prof. Kim Daejin (Professor of Korean We are planning to Arts University), and Prof. Douglas Humpherys (Co- invite a guest performer from China (Ms.Wan In 2006 March, the guest pianist Mr. Kuok-Wai chair of piano faculty, Eastman School of Music). For the Lio(left/Hong Kong) played together with one of second round, Prof. Jean Fassina(France), Prof. Gabriel Yijia, 2nd prize in the prize winners, Akihiro Sakiya. Kwok(Hong Kong), and Prof. Francesco Cipolletta(Italy) International Piano were also served as international judges. Competition for young pianists in Beijing 2006).

Amazing Amateurs !

he presence of amateur piano lovers is stimulating piano learners as well. In 1990, PTNA started Tthe Senior Division (now changed its name to Grand Muse Division), and nowadays there are more than 1,500 candidates in total participated in this division. They showed a variety of repertoires, from classical pieces to contemporary works such as Melartin, Montsalvatge, etc. In February 2007, there will be a commemoration concert for winners of the Grand Muse Division, inviting a guest pianist from Canada, Mr.Thomas Yu (winner of 2006 Hitomi Maeyama International Piano Competition for Grand Amateur, Paris). Born in 1987, Yokohama, JAPAN. Prizewinner at the 2001 Kanagawa Piano Competition,her most recent achievements include 6th prize at the Gina Bachauer International Young Artists Competition (2005), and Grand Prize and Audience Prize at the 30th PTNA Piano competition (2006). After giving an outstanding performance with the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra, Hitomi has participated in the renowned Hamamatsu International Piano Academyin 2004, and her performances in master classes and concerts in France, Japan and Moscow have been met with much critical acclaim.She is currently studying at the Moscow Conservatory under Pavel Nersessian, and with Fumiko Eguchi in Japan.

from left) Prof.Kim(Korea), Prof.Humpherys(U.S.), Prof Modugno(Italy) PTNA

2005 Grand Prix Tour in Italy The 31st PTNA Piano Competition & the 3rd Yasuko Fukuda scholarship audition chiro Kaneko (43), the 2005 grand prize winner, made his he next competition is to be held from Itour debut in Italy. Mr. Kaneko, May to August 2007. The international works in a senior high school as Tjury in the fi nal round will be following a chief mathmatic teacher, took a three professors, Prof.Erik Tawaststjerna,Prof. week off from work for this tour. Dominique Merlet and Prof. Mikhail Voskresenski. He performed in Turin, just in Mdm Yasuko Fukuda Scholarship Audition will follow on the middle of the winter Olympic the next day. This is an audition for nine talented pianists games, and the historical city Bologna. He successfully under the age of 18, and there will be one lesson from each performed works by Debussy, Symanowski and Scriabin, of three judges, and 30 min concert in public. The highest which was followed by a big applause from the audience. prize winner will be awarded a scholarship of one million yen, which is advised to be used for studying abroad. Prof. Why Quantity? --in pursuit of Quality Piotr Paleczny, Prof. Merlet and Prof. Voskresenski will be on jury panel. A genius is always born from the crowd." This

used to be the basic philosophy of lateYasuko Follow up Lessons by Fukuda, the founder of PTNA. As it may prove, Prof.Jacques Rouvier(left) and " Prof. John O'Conor(below), we had over four hundred thousand piano learners and judges of 2005 Yasuko Fukuda lovers in total in the past 30 years, and the more the Scholarship Audition. applicants increased, the higher the standard became. In 2006, a total of 38,045 people participated, which was the biggest number we had ever experienced. Also many talents of new generation were discovered. We want to keep offering as many opportunities to young pianists to develop their qualities.

40 years of PTNA history--to inherit the college professors I knew, so we could have a nice list of artistery and beauty of piano in Japan important teachers as starting lineup. Thus "The Piano Teachers’ National Association of Japan, Incorporated by Yasuko Nakayama the Japanese Government" offi cially made its fresh start. (Vice president of PTNA, Professor emeritus of Tokyo University of fi ne Not only to enjoy performing, what we aim to do arts and music) is to inherit the proper tradition of classical music. Especially in PTNA, where we teach many small Forty years ago, late Mdm children, we would like to keep in mind to have Yasuko Fukuda, the founder of "beautiful and proper" way of thinking; in regards of PTNA said, “local piano teachers musical expression, performance, and music life as a may have studied seriously in whole. I hope the members of PTNA understand those music colleges, but all teach in many different ways. As for ideas, and will continue to do so in the future. PTNA(previously called 'Tokyo Music Study Society'), we would like to address one stable ideal method as a fl ag mark." Her 'ideal' was to expand the base of the pyramid of piano culture in Japan. It means to share the joy of music with people of broader range of age, level and background, as well as to enhance the general level of piano in Japan. It was twenty years ago that PTNA was acknowledged left)Over 2,500 kids took part in the youngest grade in 2006 (A2, under 6). by the Japanese government. I telephoned as many right)President of PTNA Mr.Tsutomu Hata and Mdm.Fukuda in 1985. PTNA Piano STEP PTNA

10 years of STEP history--More than Successful partnership with local hundred thousand participants orchestra

oncerto is usually regarded as the special his year we celebrate the 10th anniversary of occasion for"professional pianists". But why the establishment of PTNA Piano STEP. STEP Cnot for children or amateurs? Recently, thanks Tis a system that encourages piano studies, and to Station, the local administrative body by independent we offer a stage performance opportunity in which teachers, they enables to offer opportunities to their one can freely express themselves up on stage. In students and children in local area to play concerto. the past 10 years, participants have risen to more Success was due to the partnership with local amateur than a hundred thousand learners and lovers in total. orchestra and conductor. The representative of Fujisawa Along with 23 grades, participants can continue their piano Station(Kanagawa pref.), Ms.Kaneko planned the study effectively. They could choose required pieces from Mozart Concerto STEP and asked for cooperation more than 3,000 music, which are chosen by the required to local musicians. School students, piano teachers, piece selection committee. This includes introductory offi ce workers, and even jazz pianist applied. One of methods which enables small children to participate as well. the participants said " It is a wonderful occasion to play (the youngest participant we have had was a two year old with full orchestra! It is totally different from playing pianist!) In the past few years, popular music gained greater with two pianos, and it was such an excitement to hear popularity, and animation music by Disney and Miyazaki my sound mixed together with the orchestral sound." are very frequently played. Teachers are now trying to increase this kind of opportunity so that as many piano learners and lovers could countrywide satellites~ 180 Stations experience.

or organizing STEP, there are more than 180 places Well focused, Deep learning of Stations in the country (as of 2006 Dec). Station Fis a PTNA regional organization that consists of small number of local piano teachers. Once accredited, ithin the framework it is entitled to do the administration of STEP. One of of STEP, teachers can the most active areas is Kobe-city of 1.5 m population, Wfreely set up particular where 8 Station has been established since 2002. study subjects. To encourage them, Owing to this local administrations, nowadays teachers professors or musicians specialized in expand their acitivities to organize workshops, teaching those fi elds are appointed as Advisors. seminars inviting famous professors, master classes etc. In the coming February, Mozart STEP will be held where students play Mozart exclusively. Dr. Bin Ebisawa, one of the world- renowned authorities of Mozart, will attend as the advisor. STEP participants, from school students to offi ce workers, played Participants are expecting deep learning through this STEP. with orchestra. (Fujisawa STEP/ Sept.2006) PTNA

A high school girl, 50 stages in 8 years...!

high school girl reached 50 times of stage performances since 1998. She was awarded and got Achance to play in the joint concert held in a big hall. We recommend students to play in public and give awards to those who participated in competition or STEP more than fi ve times. Over 800 junior and senior high school

students already received 10 times award, and most of them left) A briefi ng session for STEP. say "I want to keep it going!". PTNA branch offi ces are above) Chief of STEP committee, Ms.Mutsuko Tozawa. now trying to give bigger stages for them, to encourage that continuing learning effort is properly rewarded. STEP goes to music colleges

TEP is not only organized by independent teachers, Hand written comments for learning but also held by partnership with music colleges support Sand conservatoires. It is a good phenomenon that colleges open their gates to broader range of music learners. hree Advisors are sent to each STEP, and all Furthermore, a few music college students took part in participants get a hand-written comments the internship program between PTNA, and some of them Tfrom them. Sometimes participants exceed worked as event staff in STEP. 100 people in a day, advisory works become very hard. The major difference from that of competition is that comments are not only critical evaluation of STEP, the reason of expanding performances, but rather, encouragement of their tation Training Committee--“Station”, piano study and advices for their improvement. which is the administrative power base of Thanks to all the descriptive comments, local teachers and STEP, is established all over Japan. 12 of participants made steady improvement and became highly S committee members take initiative for its promotion. motivated. At present, more than 180 Stations exist and still increasing. Each station strengthens the network of local teachers and enhances cultural activities of local society. Photo album of STEP

top: STEP in salon concert style(left), Special workshop for studying history of keyboard instruments(center), ensemble of piano & voice(right).

Various stages of STEP-- young pianist and storytellers(left), piano with above)playing with Japanese saxophone and fl ute(center), etc. traditional string instrument, Seminars, Website &other activities PTNA

we can also fi nd abolished music Seminars by overseas scores, repertoire of unpublished professors composers, contemporary musics, and many more. For example, musics of Alesandre Rosenblatt, whose TNA Teachers' Seminar music got bigger attention among amateur pianist in Japan is annually held in Tokyo. nowadays, become available at Musse. Since the price of This year, we invited P each page and binding is quite reasonable, one can enjoy Pro.Andrzei Jasinski(Poland) and music and study at their own way. Prof.Konrad Richter(Austria) as *Musse opens an opportunity of lecturers. Prof.Richter talked about presenting new compositions. Mozart and its beauty, whereas Composers can sell their own Prof.Jasinski gave masterclass work without any expenses. of Chopin, especially focused on **The copyright of all works Mazurka. and music scores belongs to each publisher and/or composer.

Enhancing active Pianists & Teachers play participation to website for kids in local schools Piano Encyclopedia expands TNA classroom concert project launched in 2005, has been successfully spread out in Tokyo enewal of the PTNA piano homepage has Pmetropolitan area and other regions. About 7,000 completed in December. Pages are categorized pupils in 80 schools took Rby “Learn”, “Listen”, “Participate”, part in the project so far, and “Perform”, and “Search”, so that readers will be live performances are greatly able to involve more actively into our activities. appreciated by school kids. The largest access number we have at the moment is in the Nowadays, piano teachers “Search” category, the “Piano Repertoire Encyclopedia”. goes independently to their Starting this service in 2002, the page view is more than local schools to do the same eight hundred thousand hits every month, which is 40% of kind of concert. Mr.Kazumasa Matsumoto, 5th prize in all the PTNA browsing 2003 Queen Elizabeth competition, played access. We are still looking at a local school of his home town. for more recordings of Collaborative any piano repertoire and reviews, so please feel Pianist Project launched free to contact our Tokyo headquarters anytime. his service is one of our newest projects. PTNA has started a service of introducing a network of Tcollaborative pianists (accompanists) within the On-demand music selling “Musse” PTNA website. Each collaborative pianist (PTNA members only) who wants to register will get his or her own page of information, and is listed in the website. Instrumentalists n-demand music score selling service and singers are able to fi ll in the online form to arrange an “Musse” celebrated its fi rst year. In Musse, ensemble, and PTNA serves as the go-between. In PTNA, one can buy music scores from one piece, we are encouraging the value of the “piano” in the music, O but in this new service, we intend to pioneer a new market and able to create one’s original music book. At the moment, publishers such as Edition Peters, Musica of the communication of pianists and other instrumentalists Budapest, Breitkopf, Doblinger, and Kjos etc, joined this /singers. project, and thousands of pieces can be purchased. In Musse, PTNA

20,000 people enjoy free Reports from abroad eports from Vervier music festival(Switzerland), concert at heart of Tokyo International competitions(Chopin competition for young pianists in Beijing, Hamamatsu in Japan), uring the national holiday week in May, La R were introduced on PTNA website. We welcome reports of Folle Journee au Japon -Fete de Marunouchi competitions, masterclass worldwide. ([email protected]) D2006- was held throughout the Marunouchi area,Tokyo. Approximately 20,000 people enjoyed touring around the 35 free salon-style concerts. Marunouchi is one of the Tokyo's popular sites, where Royal College of Music Marunouchi Buildling is situated at its center. We can enjoy udition for 2007-2008 Royal College of a free piano concert every Sunday on the 35th fl oor of this Music(UK) was held in Tokyo on November 12th. building, looking down a beautiful view of the Tokyo area AThe Director Dr.Colin Lawson, Prof.Vanessa in the background. Ayumi Iga, past prize winner of PTNA Latarche (head of piano faculty) and Mr. Kevin Porter were takes role as the advisor. served as examiners. This year, 4 students were accepted.

Aimi Kobayashi (11) played Mozart concerto No.23 with special orchestra arranged for this A little pianist played for festival. hundreds of audience.

performed at Carnegie Hall (New Pianists (China) International York, sponsored by AADGT) -Akira Imai Activities -Arisa Sakai Shenzhen International piano 2nd in International Citta di Marsala competition (China) International Competition Results - Rina Sudo (2nd Yasuko Fukuda Piano Competition(Italy) Award) won fi fth prize at the Dublin International Piano Competition in -Airi Katada Ireland Special Prize The Fifth International Frederick -Akihiro Sakiya Chopin Competition for Young Pianists (China) 2nd in ‘A.M.A. Calabria’ Piano left)Rina Sudo in Dublin / right) Airi Katada in Beijing Competition(Italy) -Yurie Umekawa - Yuhi Ozaki (Gold Prize of G grade) 1st in EPTA International won fi rst prize at the Ettlingen competition(Belgium) International Competition (Germany), International jury

-Mariko Furukawa Noriaki Koka 3rd in International Music 2006 AMSA The World Piano Competition Porto(Portgal) Competition (U.S.)

- Shohei Sekimoto (2003 Grand Yuko Ninomiya Prix, Yasuko Fukuda Award), Aimi The Fifth International Frederick Shohei Sekimoto(4th Chopin International Competition in Kobayashi and Mirai Sumino Chopin Competition for Young Warsaw 2005) played at Carnegie Hall N.Y. He was also awarded Chopin Society Prize in Japan. 2 0 0 7 Mika Sato(6th,Chopin2000) Hibiki Tamura(2nd, Ettlingen2002) Yoko Kikuchi(1st,Mozart2002) (5th, QueenElisabeth2003) Kazumasa Matsumoto 3rdGeneve 2002) Yuma Osaki(3rd Leeds2003/ Kotaro Fukuma(1st,Cleveland 2003) Shohei Sekimoto(4th,Chopin2005) Yuhi Ozaki(1st ,Ettlingen) 4th,Hamamatsu2003) Rina Sudo(5th,Dublin2006/ Grand Prize:1,000,000yen,ConcertsinJapanandabroad Final Round:21st August, 2007Tokyo for Promising Pianists 31st PTNA Piano Competition Pastprizewinnersand further career Treasurer Treasurer Associate Member Associate Member Associate Member Associate Member Associate Member Associate Member Associate Member Associate Member Associate Member Associate Member Associate Member Associate Member Associate Member Competition's Director R&D Director Secretary &CEO Vice-Chairperson Chairperson PTNA ExecutiveCommittee

Yasuko Nakayama Tomoko Takeishi Takashi Takaragi Tsutomu Hata Hiroko Takeda Katue Fujisawa Susumu Tabuchi Reiko Matsuzaki Katsuko Kaneko Kan Ishii Shigeo Harada Hidemitsu Hayashi Mitsuyo Esaki Fumiko Eguchi Bin Ebisawa Takehiko Abe Hideo Arashino Yuko Ninomiya Mieko Harimoto Seikoh Fukuda Douglas Humpherys(2006) Giuseppe Fausto Modugno(2006) Daejin Kim(2006) Lee Kum-Sing(2005) John O'Conor(2005) Jacques Rouvier(2005) Marian Rybicki(2004) Zhou Guangren(2004) Yoheved Kaplinsky(2004) Kyung-Sook Lee(2003) Paul C.Pollei(2003) Bruno Rigutto(2003)

Past Jury Istvan Lantos Peter Lang Lee Kum-Sing Lidia Kozubek Rudolf Kehrer Klaus Hellwig Nador Gyorgy Zhou Guangren Arthur Greene Sergey L.Dorensky Jean-Marie Cottet Li Chifang Jacques Chapuis Martin Canin Joseph Bloch Paul C.Boylan Rainer Becker Jane S.Bastien Joseph Banowetz Erich Andreas Gustav A. Alink International Advisory Board

Hungary Austria Canada Poland Switzerland Germany Hungary China US Russia France China France US US US Germany US US Germany Belgium Hall /SuginamiKokaido Co.Ltd/etc. Dai-ichi Tsuda / / Hall Asahi Hall Hamarikyu / Hall Oji / Seimei University Seitoku / College Music Gakuen Senzoku / Orchestra / Co.Ltd Clinical Hinoki etc./ Tokyo New City Co.,Ltd. Confect Shimbun Royce Co.,Ltd./ Mikimoto Yomiuri / The Airways Nippon / All / Company Newspaper Sports, Government Culture, TokyoTechnology/ and Metropolitan Science Education, of Ministry

Prizes &Sponsors *alphabetical order, omittitles Wu Zuqiang Dan Zhaoyi Oxana Yablonskaya Frank Wibaut Fanny Waterman Mikhail Voskresenski Russia Fany Solter Regina SmendziankaPoland Bela Siki Klaus Schilde Jacques Rouvier Janet Ritterman Miguel Proenca Paul Pollei Andrei Pisarev Leonora Mila Michael GoughMatthews UK David Lockett Wu Leyi www.piano.or.jp/english

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