- Biwako Hall Vocal Ensemble
- Chamber Music & Vocal
BIWAKO HALL Vocal Ensemble Beautiful Japanese Songs
- Kusatsu Crea Hall (Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture)
BIWAKO HALL VOCAL ENSEMBLE
ABOUT
Japan’s first group of vocalists dedicated to public halls.
Japan’s first group of vocalists exclusively for public halls, consisting of vocalists selected through rigorous auditions from all over the country. In addition to his high level of ability as a soloist, he is attracting attention from all sides as an excellent vocal ensemble that can be the core of ensembles and choruses.
Since it was established in March 1998, the year the Biwako Hall was opened as the core of Biwako Hall’s unique creative activities, its main activity has been to perform independently, and in addition to performing opera performances and regular performances, it has been nationwide upon request. Many performances are held in various places. We are also actively engaged in music promotion activities, such as holding performances for schools in Shiga Prefecture. A total of more than 70 members have been enrolled in the past, and after the end of the activity period, he has been widely active as a “solo registered member”, appearing in numerous concerts and operas.
Received the 26th Otsu City Cultural Award in 2013 and the 42nd Shiga Prefecture Cultural Award in 2017.
MESSAGE
The Biwako Hall Vocal Ensemble is a group of singers based at Biwako Hall. Its members are busy every day, whether it be collaborating with some of Japan’s very best, internationally active staff, rehearsals or performances with professional orchestras. Their everyday lives provide them a great variety of stage experiences.
The word “classic” refers to both first-rate works and works that have survived throughout the years because of their quality, and classical music actually includes a wide variety of traditions. The world’s “standards” that carry on these traditions are the foundations that all international singers must master. The members of the Biwako Hall Vocal Ensemble work together so that as many of them as possible can master these world standards and be prepared for the international stage.
We sincerely hope you will support their work.
Artistic Director of Biwako Hall Ban Tetsuro
MEMBERS
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SupervisionBAN TETSURO
- Career
- Japanese conductor Tetsuro Ban has successfully made numerous guest appearances across Europe, with around 40 orchestras and opera houses primarily in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Italy. At home, currently the Principal Conductor of the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra (since 2019) and Artistic Director of Biwako Hall (since 2023), he has conducted a number of orchestral and operatic performances across the country.
Ban was the Permanent Conductor at the Theater Biel (Bern, Switzerland; 1992-97). He subsequently held the posts of the First Permanent Conductor at the Theater Brandenburg (1997-98), Permanent Conductor at the Komische Oper Berlin (1998-2002), General Music Director at the Theater Eisenach (Thuringia, Germany; 2005–09), Principal Guest Conductor of the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra (2007-09), and the General Music Director at the Theater Regensburg (Bavaria, Germany; 2009-17). At the Komische Oper Berlin, he conducted over 170 performances across approximately 20 productions, including the new productions of Orphée aux enfers (directed by Kupfer) and Rigoletto (directed by Schüler), and the production of Falstaff (directed by Homoki), all of which raised significant attention. He was also well received at the Vienna Volksoper during the 2008/09 New Year holiday season conducting the theater’s signature work Die Fledermaus. In addition, he has led many operas at venues such as the Stuttgart State Opera, Theater Basel, Biwako Hall, New National Theatre Tokyo, Tokyo Nikikai and the Nissay Theatre. He has conducted approximately 70 stage productions and a total of over 1,000 performances not only in Germany but also across Europe. He has been an annual guest at the Lech Classic Festival in Austria.
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In Japan, Ban has recently won acclaim with productions such as the nation-wide co-produced Die Fledermaus (newly directed by Mansai Nomura) and three others held at Biwako Hall – Der Rosenkavalier (directed by Keiichi Nakamura), Die tote Stadt (directed by Masayoshi Kuriyama), and Turandot (directed by Jun Aguni). Meanwhile, the Principal Conductor of the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra has acted as a key figure in local culture, actively engaging his ensemble in concerts and school performances across Yamagata Prefecture. Under his leadership, the orchestra has garnered new fans through projects including a complete cycle of Beethoven’s symphonies (2020-2024), the launch of a concert-style opera series in 2023, and the online streaming of their performances.
Born in Kyoto, Ban was trained as a composer by Ryohei Hirose and others at the Kyoto City University of Arts. After graduation, he studied conducting under Karl Österreicher, Leopold Hager and Yuji Yuasa at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.
The first prize winner of the 44th Besançon International Competition for Conductors (1995), Ban received both the Encouragement Award (1996) and the Distinguished Service Award (2020) at the Kyoto Prefecture Cultural Contribution Award, the ABC Asahi Broadcasting Corporation International Music Award (1997), the Kyoto City New Artist Award (2000), the 2nd Hotel Okura Music Award, the 12th Akio Watanabe Music Foundation Music Award (2004), the 26th Kenichiro Todo Music Award (2006), and the 75th Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize (2024).
Ban has dedicated himself to education, notably as the Professor of Conducting at the Kyoto City University of Arts as well as a Special Visiting Professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts and the Kunitachi College of Music.
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Honorary ConductorTANAKA NOBUAKI
- Permanent Conductor of the Tokyo Philharmonic Chorus
- Composer
- Career
- In 1956, upon graduating from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, he founded the Tokyo Philharmonic Chorus with a group of volunteer vocalists and became its permanent conductor. He was awarded the Mainichi Art Award in 1986, the Asahi Modern Music Award in 2006, the ExxonMobil Music Award in 2010, and the Order of the Sacred Treasure in 2000.
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Conductor LaureateMOTOYAMA HIDEKI
- Career
- Graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts. After returning to Japan, he has been active in performing religious music, mainly Bach. He studied conducting under Helmut Rilling, Wolfgang Schäfer, and Uwe Gronostaj, and received the 15th Todo Music Prize in 1995 and the Kyoto City Art Newcomer Prize in 2001. He is a professor at Osaka College of Music. He is a President of the Osaka College of Music and the leader of the Kyoto Bach Choir.
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ConductorOKAWA SHUJI
- Career
- He graduated from Kunitachi College of Music. He has worked as an assistant conductor and chorus conductor of operas mainly at Biwako Hall, Tokyo Nikikai, New National Theatre, Hyogo Performing Arts Center, Nissay Theatre, Aichi Performing Arts Center and others. He has been involved in a wide range of activities, including conducting the Shiki Theater Company’s production of “The Lion King” from 1999 to 2011. He studied conducting under Takashina Masamitsu, piano under Yashiro Yasuko, and voice under Oishi Masaharu.
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SopranoODA YUKA
- Alma Mater
- Graduated from Osaka College of Music(vocal music department),
- Completed the master’s program in vocal music at said university.
- Awards
- Selected for the 2nd International Vocal Competition Tokyo Finals.
- 2nd place in the 79th All Japan Student Music Competition Osaka Tournament. Scholarship student of the Aoyama Music Foundation for the fiscal year 2023.
- Studied under
- Ishibashi Emi
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SopranoKOBAYASHI YUKA
- Alma Mater
- Kunitachi C ollege o f Music Department of Performance & Composition Vocal department.
Nikikai Opera Institute the 65th Master Class.
Tokyo Opera Club the vocal Master Class.
- Awards
- Awarded the 39th Itabashi Classical Music Audition
- Studied under
- Konda Akihiro
Ohta Naoki
Kano Etsuko
Kotetsu Kazuhiro
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SopranoTAKADA MIZUKI
- Alma Mater
- Kyoto City University of Arts-Faculty of Music (vocal department).
- Completed the master’s program in vocal music at said university.
- Awards
- Recipient of the Shinseikai Award, the Kyoto Music Society Award, and the Sasaki Sadako Award.
- Second place at the 76th Student Music Concours of Japan-Osaka division, and progressed to the national stage.
- Studied under
- Shinobe Npbuhiro
- Matsubara Tomo
- Shimizu Tetsutaro
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SopranoYAMADA YUKAKO
- Alma Mater
- Osaka University of Arts. Graduated valedictorian, and was awarded the Laboratory Award upon graduation.Master’s program in vocal music at said university.
- Awards
- Third place at the 24th Osaka International Music Competition.
- Studied under
- Yoshsii Makiko
- Yatabe Yoshihiro
- Mihara Tsuyoshi
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AltoMIYARA MAKO
- Alma Mater
- Graduated from the Vocal Music Course, Department of Musical Expression, Faculty of Music, Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts
- Completed the Graduate School of Music and Arts, majoring in Performance Art with a specialization in Vocal Music at said university
- Awards
- Awarded 1st place in the 56th Shinpo Music Competition, Vocal Music Division, General Category.
- Studied under
- Minei Keiko
Matsuda Naomi
Dávid Csizmár.
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AltoYAMAUCHI YUKA
- Alma Mater
- Nagoya University of the Arts-Department of Musical Performance (vocal course).
- Completed the Master’s program in in vocal music at said university, and was presented the Principal’s Award upon graduation.
- Awards
- Awarded the Judges’ Award for her performance at the 82nd TIAA All Japan Classic Music Concert.
- Third place at the 12th Gifu Prefecture International Music Festival (vocal category), and recipient of the Gifu Prefectural Governor Award. Second place at the 25th Choukou Cup International Music Competition (vocal category).
- Winner of the 28th Kobe International Music Competition (vocal category) and recipient of the Hyogo Superintendent of Education Award.
- Studied under
- Kondo Keiko
- Nakai Ryoici
- Oshita Kumiko
- Miwa Yoko
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AltoYUNOKI REIKA
- Alma Mater
- Kyoto City University of Arts-Faculty of Music (vocal department).
- Completed the master’s program in vocal music at said university.
- Awards
- 4th place in the 2nd Primavera Vocal Competition.
- Awarded the Encouragement Prize in the Song Division at the 5th International Vocal Competition Tokyo.
- Studied under
- Ban Mayuko
Fukushima Akane
Ueno Yoko .
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TenorARIGAYA TOMOKI
- Alma Mater
- Tokyo University of the Arts-Faculty of Music (vocal department).
Completed the Master’s program in vocal performance at said university, specializing in opera.
- Awards
- Winner at the 35th Ichikawa City newcomer concour
- Studied under
- Ikeda Takamune
Ichihara Taro
Fukui Kei
Shimizu Tetsutaro
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TenorOKUMOTO TOKIYA
- Alma Mater
- Kyoto City University of Arts-Faculty of Music (vocal department).
- Graduated valedictorian. Completed the Master’s program in vocal music at said university. Awarded the Kyoto City Mayor Award upon graduation.
- Studied under
- Noda Masaaki
- Kitamura Toshinori
- Matsubara Tomo
- Shimizu Tetsuraro
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TenorFUKUNISHI JIN
- Alma Mater
- Completed the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs at the Osaka College of Music.
- Awards
- Third place at the 17th Osaka International Music Competition.
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BassOHNO KOHSEI
- Alma Mater
- Tokyo University of the Arts-Faculty of Music (vocal department).
- Completed the Master’s program at said university, specializing in opera.
- Awards
- Recipient of the Atake Award.
- Studied under
- Ota Naoki
- Sakurada Makoto
- Hagiwara Jun
- Adrian Eröd
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BassSANUKI HARUTO
- Alma Mater
- Graduated from Osaka Kyoiku University, Music Expression Course, Music and Fine Arts, Department of Educational CollaborationCompleted the Master’s program in vocal music at Kyoto City University of Arts-Faculty of Music (vocal department).
- Awards
- Second piace in the 78th Student Music Concours of Japan -Osaka division.
- Third place in the 2nd International Vocal Competition TOKYO (university student division).
- Studied under
- Konaka Kohei
- Yoshida Minoru
- Tamai Hiroko
- Matsubara Tomo
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BassHAGA TAKURO
- Alma Mater
- Graduated from Osaka University of Arts, Vocal Music Course. Completed the first semester of the graduate course at the same university.
- Awards
- Special Award at the 25th Japan Player’s Competition(general A division).
- Third place at the 11th Aoniyoshi Music Competition (professional stage).
- Third place at the 78th All Japan Student Music Competition in Osaka.
- Studied under
- Mihara Tsuyoshi
PERFORMANCES
- Opera
- Biwako Hall Vocal Ensemble
- others
Ban Tetsuro Opera Seminar4 “Così fan tutte”
- The College Opera House ,Osaka Music of College,(Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture)
- Opera
- Biwako Hall Vocal Ensemble
- others
Ban Tetsuro Opera Seminar4 “Così fan tutte”
- The College Opera House ,Osaka Music of College (Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture)
- Opera
- Biwako Hall Vocal Ensemble
- others
Ban Tetsuro Opera Seminar4 “Così fan tutte”
- The College Opera House ,Osaka Music of College (Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture)
- Opera
- Biwako Hall Vocal Ensemble
- others
Ban Tetsuro Opera Seminar4 “Così fan tutte”
- The College Opera House ,Osaka Music of College (Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture)
- Opera
- Biwako Hall Vocal Ensemble
- others
Ban Tetsuro Opera Seminar4 “Così fan tutte”
- The College Opera House, Osaka Music of College (Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture)
