Mito Chamber Orchestra--Getting the Chance to Reflect on the Spirit of "Doing Music" by Seiji Ozawa, MCO Musical Advisor

	Getting the Chance to Reflect on the Spirit of "Doing Music" by Seiji Ozawa, Musical Advisor, Mito Chamber Orchestra Mail to: webstaff@arttowermito.or.jp For further information, please call (029) 231-8000

One day, several years ago, Mr. Hidekazu Yoshida invited me to his house in Kamakura, and mentioned to me there that he would like to create a chamber orchestra in line with the founding of a new concert hall in Mito. I thought it was a wonderful idea, and decided to work with him on the project. That happened to be a time when the Saito Kinen Orchestra was touring Europe every year, so I told him I thought it would be best to assemble a group using some of its members. I had Mr. Tatsuo Oguchi, who was the managing director of Concert Hall ATM (and now the General Intendant of MCO) and who was able to pull a few strings, fly straight to Europe and convince some of the members of the orchestra to join our new group. In no time at all, the pieces started to fall into place, and we had a full-fledged chamber ensemble on our hands.

Several factors have come together -- a near-ideal amount of rehearsal time, the members' previous musical careers, and the hearty welcome extended by the people at Mito -- that mutually interact to produce the wonderful assemblage of musicians that MCO is. Although the group can perform without a conductor, some works do call for some one to conduct, so I have assented to lead the group in some of its concerts. Whenever I am working with them, I feel I have gotten an invaluable opportunity -- as have the orchestra's musicians -- to reflect on what it really means to "do music" once again.

I sincerely hope that the MCO continues to set new traditions in the history of Japanese ensembles.

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