Kioi (kee-OH-ee) Sinfonietta Tokyo makes its Washington debut Sunday, led by Swiss conductor Thierry Fischer. The occasion is the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Japan’s gift of the cherry blossom trees to Washington. Founded in 1995 to become the resident chamber orchestra of Tokyo’s Kioi Hall, the KST membership consists of Japan’s leading soloists, chamber artists and principal players from orchestras throughout Japan.
“This will be the first time I’ve worked with KST, but I conduct frequently in Japan and know a lot about them,” Thierry said. “They are regarded as the very best players in their country, and their treatment of music by German and Austrian composers is greatly admired in Europe, so when I was asked to go with them on this tour, it was an honor. The piano soloist, Yu Kosuge, is also new to them and comes with great recommendation. She is very young, but extremely mature and creative. She began performing with orchestras as a child and today regularly performs with major Japanese and European orchestras and records on the Sony label.”
Thierry was for a number of years the principal flute of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe under Claudio Abbado. He discovered his affinity for conducting by accident and subsequently decided to leave the orchestra and pursue a new career. Since making that change, he has conducted a variety of exciting groups throughout Europe, from the contemporary Ensemble Modern to the British period instrument Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
| Onstage |
| Kioi Sinfonietta Tokyo |
| Where: National Gallery of Art, 4th Constitution Avenue NW |
| When: 6:30 p.m. Sunday; First come, first seated |
| Info: Free; 202-842-6941 |
“Extremes drive us as performers and create circumstances that give you irresistible attraction to sounds and make connections,” he said. “It’s important to remember the past, but also to acknowledge that we live in the 21st century and our mission is to be part of a creative process. When I’m programming, I work by myself studying new scores day and night. By the time we reach the rehearsal process, I must convince the musicians how I want the music to sound. But before we go on stage, I tell them they have worked very hard and now is the time to forget everything we talked about. The moment we begin playing, it all comes together in a true creation.”
Before becoming music director of the Utah Symphony in 2009, Thierry was chief conductor of the Netherlands Ballet Orchestra, principal conductor of the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast, principal conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and chief conductor of the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, where he now holds the title of honorary guest conductor.
“Japanese culture has a sublime adoration for European composers and an unlimited commitment to approach the essence of music” he said. “The KST will make something special of their program, give everything they have in the music making and show respect for tradition. The audience can sit back and enjoy the invisible energy of sound that can transport the listener from sadness to jubilation.”
