Learn how to enjoy classical music from the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra's Music Director

We spoke with Toru Sakakibara, musical director of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra (hereinafter referred to as Kanagawa Phil), a professional orchestra based in Kanagawa Prefecture and beloved by the local community, about how to enjoy classical music and what to look out for in the Kanagawa Philharmonic concert lineup from 2024 to 2025.

Enjoy an extraordinary experience with classics that never go out of style.

-It's only been a year since I started listening to classical music. Even when I look at the annual lineup, I can only vaguely recognize the song titles, conductors, and soloists. For beginners like me, please tell us how to choose and enjoy a classical music concert.

At Sakakibara Classic concerts, we strive to make sure that our audience members can enjoy the extraordinary experience until the very end. During the performance, we ask the audience to turn off their smartphones and refrain from drinking water. It's quite difficult in this day and age, isn't it?

-That's true!

Sakakibara: The greatest appeal of classical music is that it never loses its appeal no matter how many times you listen to it. The pieces that are still being played today are the greatest hits that have survived in the history of classical music.
For example, I think that the flyer you see here, "Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16," is being performed in about 100 places around the world today. For example, in Germany, the birthplace of Beethoven and JS Bach, there are said to be more than 120 orchestras with 10,000 performers.

--Really?! Orchestras are surprisingly close to us.

There is no right answer as to what you will think after listening to the music at the Sakakibara Concert. I want people to feel free to come and enjoy themselves. For those who would like to listen to the concert in the future, I have thought about how to choose and enjoy the concert.

-I'm looking forward to it!

Choose from memorable songs and performers you like

The Kanagawa Philharmonic was founded in 1970.

Sakakibara: I think the most common type of people are those who come to concerts because they remember a song they heard as a child or a song that has a personal memory.
I also think that there are many people who choose to attend performances by musicians they are interested in, thinking, "I'd like to hear that musician play live at least once."

--I'm sure there are many people who watched the TV drama "Reversal Orchestra," in which the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra provided full cooperation in filming, and became interested in listening to the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra.

Thank you Sakakibara .

Entering with an interest in learning about the hall

Sakakibara: I think most people start by looking for a memorable song or a performer they're interested in, but I have another suggestion. Start by getting interested in the concert hall. If you come to like the music hall, I think you'll enjoy it even more.

--What exactly is a good way to enjoy "getting to know the hall"?

Sakakibara: The Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra mainly performs in three halls in the prefecture: Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall, Kanagawa Prefectural Hall, and Kanagawa Prefectural Music Hall. Each of these halls is wonderful.

The appeal of Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall

© Hiradate Taira

Sakakibara Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall had its grand opening in 1998. It was completed when the Minato Mirai area was developed. The open foyer (hall) is comfortable, and I think it is the only music hall with a location where you can see the ocean. From the moment you step inside the building, you can feel the bright, artistic space.

When you enter the large hall, there is a pipe organ in the center, and the furniture such as chairs and lighting, the acoustics and the interior are all prepared for the best music. It is recommended from one point of view to fall in love with the hall.

The appeal of Kanagawa Prefectural Hall

Sakakibara Kanagawa Prefectural Hall (hereafter referred to as Prefectural Hall) is the site of the Yamashita Concession. You can see the sea from the lobby of the Prefectural Hall and the restaurant "Eiichibankan" inside the building.

It has been about 100 years since the Great Kanto Earthquake (September 1, 1923). Yamashita Park, located right in front of the venue, was one of the reconstruction projects after the earthquake, and there are many historical buildings around the Prefectural Hall. It would be nice to take a historical stroll through Yokohama before or after the concert.

The Prefectural Civic Hall will close on March 31, 2025. We hope you will come and experience it before it closes.

The appeal of Kanagawa Prefectural Music Hall

Sakakibara: Kanagawa Prefectural Music Hall (hereafter referred to as the Music Hall), which opened in 1954, celebrates its 70th anniversary this year (2024). The interior walls are all made of wood, and the exterior features distinctive U-shaped hollow bricks, a feature of Maekawa Kunio's architecture.

This is the first public facility in Japan dedicated to music, and the acoustic sound is unique to this place. The entire building was renovated in 2019, and it has become very beautiful while retaining its good points. It is also designated as an Important Cultural Property (Structure) by Kanagawa Prefecture.

-I now have a good understanding of the characteristics of each hole.

Sakakibara: There are many wonderful halls in Kanagawa Prefecture. The Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra holds regular performances in three halls, so I hope you will also pay attention to the halls as another way to enjoy classical music.

Fashion and the city of Yokohama make the concert even more special

Sakakibara: My next suggestion is to enjoy fashion and the city along with the concert. When I look at the customers, I notice that they are carrying Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra mascot "Blue Dull" goods and Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra bags, and they are using the Blue Dull color blue as a point color in their fashion.

The Blue Dal handkerchief has the same pattern as the ties and scarves worn by the band members.

--Just like you can wear merchandise at amusement parks or concerts, it's okay to enjoy classical music too!

Sakakibara : Of course. It's great if you can get excited for a concert. There are also many people who enjoy Yokohama before and after the concert.

If you go to Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall, you can enjoy sightseeing in the new Yokohama. If you go to Prefectural Hall, you can visit Marine Tower and Chinatown, or go a little further to Motomachi. If you go to Music Hall, you can go down the Momijizaka slope and have a drink at Noge, where you can enjoy the deep side of Yokohama.

It will be fun to talk about your impressions of the concert while enjoying sightseeing and food in Yokohama.

Introducing selected concerts from the 2024-2025 concert schedule

There are two types of regular memberships for the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra.

There are two types of membership: "Series Membership" (application deadline is March 31, 2024), which allows you to listen to all regular concerts in the same seat, and "Select Membership" (application deadline is approximately one week before the performance date), which allows you to choose three or more concerts from the 2024-2025 concert schedule and receive membership benefits.

There is no membership fee for either event.

A booklet that gives you a complete understanding of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra: "2024-2025 Concert Schedule"

- I heard that you can still become a regular member of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra. Could you tell me about some of the distinctive concerts?

Sakakibara: First up from the Prefectural Masterpiece Series is "Ah, Showa Retro Classics!" to be held at the Prefectural Hall on Saturday, May 25, 2024. It is a project that Ryusuke Numajiri, the music director of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra, suggested and I wholeheartedly agreed to. It will feature masterpieces such as "Madonna's Jewels," "Dance of Time," and the waltz "Gold and Silver," which were often played when we were children but are rarely played now.

"Dance! Symphony No. 9" will be performed at the same Prefectural Hall on Saturday, June 15, 2024. Six dancers will dance. The performance of Symphony No. 9 will be untainted, and the orchestra, chorus, and dance will blend together. 2024 is a memorable year, marking 200 years since the premiere of Symphony No. 9. There will be no soloist, but one after another, soloists will appear from among the excellent chorus members. The Ninth, which was innovative and enthusiastic about the audience at the premiere, will now be performed even more innovatively.

The theme of the music hall is "Classical Modern". A wide range of classical and modern music will be performed. "A Musical Journey Through Beethoven" will be held at the music hall on Saturday, May 18, 2024. In fact, this is also one of the events commemorating the 200th anniversary of the world premiere of the Ninth Symphony. We will perform "Dust for Orchestra" by Lachenmann, which is a work that disassembles and reassembles the image of the Ninth Symphony. "Dust" is a piece that caused a boycott because it changed the Ninth Symphony, which Germans cherish, into something different. We will also perform Symphony No. 3 "Eroica", which is a hint for the Ninth Symphony.

- It would be nice to choose one of the three halls and become a regular member, and then purchase additional concert tickets later. Thank you!

Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra
Official website: Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra
Annual lineup: 2024-2025 season concert schedule | Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra