November 2009

TKWO Announces Winners of Second Composition Competition

The Second Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra Composition Competition Final Selection took place November 8 in the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space in Tokyo's Toshima Ward.

The competition is be held every three years, and the first, in 2006, commemorated the centenary of the birth of Rissho Kosei-kai's founder, Nikkyo Niwano and the tenth anniversary of the appointment of Maestro Frederick Fennell as the orchestra's conductor laureate. Its aim is to discover, introduce, and promote new compositions for wind instruments by promising young composers in Japan and abroad. The competition also aims to encourage the further development of such music in the twenty-first century through continuing international intercultural exchanges.

At this year's competition, chaired by Professor Emeritus Joji Yuasa, of the University of California, San Diego, the seven jurors were, besides Professor Yuasa: Professor Kazushi Ishida, of Kurashiki Sakuyo University; Professor Michio Kitazume, of the Kunitachi College of Music; Professor Akira Nishimura, of the Tokyo College of Music; Professor Isao Matsushita of Tokyo University of Arts and Music, and vice-president of the Japan Federation of Composers Inc.; an invited guest juror: Mr. Sukhi Kang, a South Korean composer; and a special juror: Mr. Douglas Bostock, TKWO's principal guest conductor.

By April 15, 38 compositions were submitted from 13 countries around the world. The initial screening of scores took place May 9, and the secondary screening, or demonstration competition in performance, took place September 4. Five compositions were shortlisted for the Final Selection.

At the Final Selection concert, Ms. Keiko Kobayashi conducted TKWO in Dialectics for Wind Ensemble, by Brian Harman (Canada); Grande Arabesque for Symphonic Band, by Yasutaki Inamori (Japan); De Causis - The Order of the Chaos, by Francisco Zacarés Fort (Spain); Notturno for Wind Orchestra, by Tatsuya Hirano (Japan); and Sora-no-Toki for Wind Orchestra, by Masahiro Yamauchi (Japan). The pieces were applauded enthusiastically.

At the closing ceremony, after greetings from Mr. Masatoshi Kohno, general manager of the Kosei Cultural Association, Professor Yuasa announced that Sora-no-Toki for Wind Orchestra had won first prize, De Causis - The Order of the Chaos second prize, Grande Arabesque for Symphonic Band third prize, Notturno for Wind Orchestra the Jury Special Prize, and De Causis - The Order of the Chaos the Frederick Fennell Special Prize.

In his speech on the overall judgment, Professor Yuasa mentioned the superb quality of the music considering the international standard of other current world contests. He praised Mr. Yamauchi's composition technique for its solid foundation and originality.

The competition participants then moved to a hotel in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward for the presentation ceremony. Afterward, Rev. Kosho Niwano, president-designate of Rissho Kosei-kai and honorary president of TKWO, greeted everyone on behalf of Rissho Kosei-kai. She said she hoped that everyone there would help ensure the possibility of many more such competitions to encourage children's love of wind music.

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