Yomiuri Orchestra Presented National Arts Festival Grand Prize

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:27 JST, February 16, 2023

The Agency for Cultural Affairs National Arts Festival grand prize in the music category for Kanto region performances was presented to the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra (YNSO) in ceremony in Tokyo on Wednesday.

YNSO Chairman Michio Hayashi was given the award by Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Vice Minister Kazuo Yana.

“I’m renewing my determination and commitment to further improve,” Hayashi said.

Concertmaster Kota Nagahara, 42, said, “I will continue to give good performances and live up to this award.”

The YNSO was praised for its ambitious selection of works, including the Double Concerto for Violin and Shamisen by Toshi Ichiyanagi, who died shortly before the piece was premiered, as well as Varese’s Arcana, which created a rich and colorful listening experience and was led by conductor laureate Sylvain Cambreling.