The 678th Subscription Concert 2026.June.27（Sat）17:00～
/ June.28（Sun）13:00～ Sapporo Concert Hall; Kitara

© Martin Richardson

Tadaaki OTAKA（conductor）

Japanese-born Tadaaki Otaka has been Music Director of Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra since April 2018 and, following a distinguished tenure as Principal Conductor of BBC National Orchestra of Wales, became their Conductor Laureate. This remarkable relationship with BBC NOW stretches back more than three decades and he has appeared with them each season since his debut. Long esteemed as one of Japan’s finest conductors, he also holds the titles of Permanent Conductor of the NHK Symphony, Conductor Laureate of Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Honorary Guest Conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra and Honorary Conductor Laureate of Kioi Hall Chamber Orchestra Tokyo. He has had a close association with Sapporo Symphony Orchestra for four decades, leading highly-successful European tours and establishing them internationally as one of Japan’s leading ensembles; and since 2015 has served as their Honorary Music Director. Between 2009 and 2012 he served as Principal Guest Conductor of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and was Artistic Director of the New National Theatre, Tokyo (2010 to 2014). Mo. Otaka returns to Europe in March 2025 for performances with BBC NOW, featuring works by Bruch, Grace Williams and Rachmainov He continues to conduct extensively in Japan and is also a highly regarded teacher of young conductors, holding posts as Honorary Professor of the Tokyo University of the Arts, Visiting Professor of the Soai University and the Kyoto City University of Arts and Guest Professor of the Kunitachi College of Music. He combines these activities with regular European visits. Recent BBC NOW highlights include BBC Proms, and he also served on the juries of the Donatella Flick Conducting Competition in London, the Malko Competition in Copenhagen and the 18th Tokyo International Music Competition for Conducting.

Kazune SHIMIZU（piano）

Shimizu took first prize of the Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud International Competition and also a recital prize in 1981. In 1986 he performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky, for his London debut. From 1995 to 1997, Shimizu performed all Beethoven piano sonatas in Tokyo. These concerts were recorded and released as a complete set under the Sony Classical label. From 2004, he started to record the complete Chopin piano works, and 5 CDs from Octavia Records have been released. Shimizu performed with Vladimir Ashkenazy in Tokyo (NHK Symphony Orchestra) and Sydney (Sydney Symphony Orchestra). He has performed with many of the world’s orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and Mariinsky Orchestra, and has performed with conductors including Vladimir Ashkenazy, Gianandrea Noseda, Zdeněk Mácal, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Valery Gergiev. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of his debut, Shimizu performed his beloved Rachmaninov piano concertos 1-4, and the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, in a single concert in August 2011 and every spring, he produces "Feast of the Three Great Piano Concertos," namely Beethoven's Emperor, Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No., 2 in one night. These amazing achievements proved that he continues to be a leading pianist on the world stage. He is currently a professor at the Toho College of Music.