Orchestre Philharmonique de Nagoya
The Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra (NPO) is recognized as the leading orchestra in the Tokai region, the central part of Japan. The NPO has an excellent reputation on the Japanese classical music scene, for both its innovative programming and its wonderful performances. The NPO is called “Mei-Phil”, with love, by Japanese audiences, and holds a firm position as one of Japan’s top professional orchestras.
In April 2016, KOIZUMI Kazuhiro became the NPO’s Music Director. The NPO has established relationships with many conductors. Its present conductors are KAWASE Kentaro (Resident Conductor since 2019), KOBAYASHI Ken’ichiro (Conductor Laureate since 2003), Moshe ATZMON (Honorary Conductor since 1993), Thierry FISCHER (Honorary Guest Conductor since 2011). In April 2020, internationally known composer SAKATA Naoki was appointed as the third “Composer in Residence” of the NPO following FUJIKURA Dai and SAKAI Kenji.
The NPO has toured internationally four times, performing very highly acclaimed concerts as follows:
| – 1988 | France and Switzerland / Conductor: HIROKAMI Jun’ichi |
| – 2000 | Brunei, Singapore, the Philippines, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Taiwan / Conductor: HONNA Tetsuji |
| – 2004 | Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic (“Prague Spring” international music festival) / Conductor: NUMAJIRI Ryusuke, MUTO Hideaki and Tomáš HANUS |
| – 2006 | Singapore, the Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong and Malaysia / Conductor: SHIMONO Tatsuya |
The NPO has recorded over 30 discs. Many awards and prizes have been earned, including the 23rd Tokai TV Cultural Prize in 1990, the Aichi Prefecture Arts and Culture Prize in 1991, the Agency for Cultural Affairs Work of Art Award in the Recording Division in 1997, the 32nd Music Pen Club Awards in category of Classical Music (Contemporary Music) in 2020 for the Composer in Residence of the NPO, and so on.
Musicians from the City of Nagoya and the surrounding area founded the NPO in July 1966. The first subscription concert delighted the audience in October 1967. Subsequently, the NPO received an endowment from the City of Nagoya in 1973.
Today, the NPO performs about 110 concerts a year. Various concerts include Subscription Concerts, popular Famous Works Series and Welfare Concerts for disabled persons.