Following is an article posted by Nobu's management firm in Japan, Avex Classics.
It appeared on the Internet on July 6 2018.
The original article, in Japanese, is at https://avex.com/jp/ja/contents/classics-radical-strategies/
Below is an English translation, mostly by Google Translate.
INTERVIEW
Avex Classics International Co., Ltd. is the most recent classical music label in the world that produces sound sources, as well as planning and producing concerts, and managing artists. Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii and Fumiaki Miura, rising young performers, have become excellent musicians as demonstrated in their solos of the main theme of the big drama "Sanada Maru", and have made inroads to reach an audience beyond classical music fans. The impression of a new Japanese classic business standard is also strong. In this interview, Mr. Hiroyuki Nakajima, along with Mr. Tsujii and Mr. Miura, serve as representatives for the company that was founded in 2011; and we explore the possibilities from the standpoint of the entertainment nature of classical music and the characteristics of Avex Classics.
PHOTO : Fumiaki Miura, Nobuyuki Tsujii and Hiroyuki Nakajima, in business attire, standing on stage of a large concert hall, with columns of ceiling lights and rows of empty audience seats behind them.
![]()
Mr. Nakajima had a track record in works with Warner Classical Music Japan (then Warner Pioneer in the 1990s) at a time of Barenboim, the Three Tenors, and Mr. Yutaka Sado. He moved to Avex and established the classical department in 2003. In 2011, he initiated a subsidiary company with an entrepreneurial recruitment project within the company, and was appointed president of Avex Classics International at the turning point of a 360 ° business which also conducts concerts and management in the classical realm. I had thought that Nakajima's move was the result of a recruitment effort. "I made the proposal," he said, "I wanted to do classical work for Avex, for some reasons." He said it took two years for him to make the transition.
Nakajima: "I started with a lot of people saying 'What is Avex doing?' Fifteen years ago, Avex and classical music was very far apart, but I like the notion of doing classical music at Avex to attract people who do not know the charm of the genre. The basis is that music is full of charm, regardless of genre -- classical, pop, western music, Japanese music. It is a pleasure to have something to promote for a company. The typical example is Nobuyuki Tsujii's competition victory (Japanese first victory at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition) and his CD that became a big hit of the year at that time."
PHOTO: Nobu in close-up; he is well-coifed and polished, looking mature and smiling.
![]()
Incidentally, from his debut to the present, Tsujii 's Avex profile does not have a mention of his visual impairment. It is the ultimate respect for a musician who has gained notice in the world. For Tsujii, in addition to the advice of Sado, whom he trusts, "If you are making CD, you absolutely had better do it with Mr. Nakajima," he said that he has a great deal of faith in Nakajima's attitude.
Tsujii: "When I made my debut, I did not want to be labelled as "a blind genius boy pianist. Because the handicap is not related to music at all; I wanted to be perceived a pianist, so I thought it was really good that I could make a CD with Mr. Nakajima,"
In addition, Tsujii 's desire to make his own sound as a composer has come true, two CDs of his original compositions have been released so far.
Meanwhile, Fumiaki Miura won, at the youngest age of 16, at the German Hannover International Violin Competition -- one of the world's three major violin competitions -- in 2009, at the same time as Tsujii. Before he signed with Avex, his CDs were released with so-called family and club-like elements. Nakajima viewed that as "wasteful." In order to draw out Miura's ability, he recorded performances of him performing violin concertos of Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn with prestigious Berlin-Germany Symphony Orchestra and Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Said Miura: "Because it was suddenly done with a high hurdle, I felt serious there."
PHOTO: Mr. Miura in close up, his hairdo is stylishly spiky.
![]()
Common-sense defying programs;
Nakajima's relationship now with the two young leaders of the classical world is as "a friend who can talk about music and future works in a bar, who can listen to good performance and record a performance with good acoustics." Of course I am not a performer, so I don't know how Tsujii-kun feels when he listens to Horowitz and thinks, "I can do that!" I can only think along the line of "With Tsujii-kun, can I make a better CD than that work?" That kind of story is easy to do, "but I will let you know he has an overwhelming trust in me." It also leads to a repertoire that does not depend on the development of the artist and the common sense of conventional concerts.
Nakajima: "The highest priced ticket for recent performances (Royal Liverpool Phil in May) is 21,000 yen, which is expensive, but we are doing a great performance, so we have to fill up the concert hall with as many people as possible. Normally, a concert with an orchestra is limited to one solo work, but we did two solo works, contrary to common classical music practice." "You may think that we make the artists do it, but they think they want to do it." "I'm confident that customers can be satisfied. The memory of the concert of today may last a lifetime. I like everyone to cry when they listen to Tsujii-kun's performance for the first time. I want them to cry; I don't care (he laughs) "
The two young talents are artistic leaders of the ARK CLASSICS festival to be held this autumn, and they are also involved in the selection of performers and the programs for the festival.
![]()
Tsujii: "When I played the duo with Mr. Miura for the first time last year, I experienced the pleasure of chamber music. It is fun to communicate with music, because piano music is mostly played by just one person. I love it, so I hope I can convey such pleasure with two people. "
Miura: "I played with him last year; as a result, I think that it would be nice to have a wonderful music companion in him. In the Ark Hills, right in the middle of Tokyo, it would be nice to have a sense of an atmosphere that you can enjoy classical music with. "
Nakajima is planning to work with Suntory Hall, the famed classical music hall [omitted: a sentence that online translation fails me], and expecting the event to grow into a world-class music festival, which will attract attention worldwide, as well as improving the ability of the two artistic leaders.
It is a strength of Avex Classics that there are artists who combine star attraction and familiarity, but it is also great that they let their performances penetrate into the tea room level. Is Miura's solo of the main theme "Sanada Maru" the most popular violin piece in Japan now?
Nakajima: "The work was composed by Takayuki Hattori; it was a long time ago (laugh); it was the first time that the violin plays solo for the theme song of a big river drama. So I think that Mr. Hattori also shouldered the burden. But we were pleased that Mr. Miura was picked to play it. Then Tsujii Kun played the piano in a rendition of the theme music, and they also appeared on NHK 's program. I think that made a great cycle. "
In addition, in November this year Tsujii will co-star with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra led by Vladimir Ashkenazy.
![]()
Nakajima: "Classical music is funny. Ashkenazy is 81 years old, the age of Tsujii-kun's grandparents; but in classical music people across generations perform together. I think in a collaboration, a young artist enjoys it regardless of the actual age of the performers; I think it is important for the young people to feel that way. Vladimir Fedoseyev [Russian conductor] is close to 90s years old. But he still can think 'I can do it.' That is an interesting part of classical music."
Nakajima's axis rests on a strong historical principle, while making announcements of events that surprise the classical world, such as programs that break common sense and music festivals produced in partnership with Suntory Hall.
Nakajima: "You do not deviate from serious things or ideals because of marketing. For example, you cannot do a piano solo in a huge hall with 6,000 people if the acoustics is bad; I do not want to do that kind of performance no matter how lucrative it is. It is not what Avex likes to do it. If the heart does not move, it is a business mistake. "
He strives to deliver classical music to as many unknown listeners as possible. Therefore, he wants to make the best CDs and concerts that draw in first-time audiences. Avex Classics' stance is to ensure the low threshold and high quality. In doing so, it hopes to draw in more and more listeners who are tasting classical music for the first time, without being aware of it.
![]()
Avex Classics International official site
Nobuyuki Tsujii official site
Fumiaki Miura official site
It appeared on the Internet on July 6 2018.
The original article, in Japanese, is at https://avex.com/jp/ja/contents/classics-radical-strategies/
Below is an English translation, mostly by Google Translate.
INTERVIEW
The height that Avex aims at classical Music
Supreme talents and radical strategy
Avex Classics International Co., Ltd. is the most recent classical music label in the world that produces sound sources, as well as planning and producing concerts, and managing artists. Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii and Fumiaki Miura, rising young performers, have become excellent musicians as demonstrated in their solos of the main theme of the big drama "Sanada Maru", and have made inroads to reach an audience beyond classical music fans. The impression of a new Japanese classic business standard is also strong. In this interview, Mr. Hiroyuki Nakajima, along with Mr. Tsujii and Mr. Miura, serve as representatives for the company that was founded in 2011; and we explore the possibilities from the standpoint of the entertainment nature of classical music and the characteristics of Avex Classics.PHOTO : Fumiaki Miura, Nobuyuki Tsujii and Hiroyuki Nakajima, in business attire, standing on stage of a large concert hall, with columns of ceiling lights and rows of empty audience seats behind them.
Avex strives for an image of classical music that is fun
Mr. Nakajima had a track record in works with Warner Classical Music Japan (then Warner Pioneer in the 1990s) at a time of Barenboim, the Three Tenors, and Mr. Yutaka Sado. He moved to Avex and established the classical department in 2003. In 2011, he initiated a subsidiary company with an entrepreneurial recruitment project within the company, and was appointed president of Avex Classics International at the turning point of a 360 ° business which also conducts concerts and management in the classical realm. I had thought that Nakajima's move was the result of a recruitment effort. "I made the proposal," he said, "I wanted to do classical work for Avex, for some reasons." He said it took two years for him to make the transition.
Nakajima: "I started with a lot of people saying 'What is Avex doing?' Fifteen years ago, Avex and classical music was very far apart, but I like the notion of doing classical music at Avex to attract people who do not know the charm of the genre. The basis is that music is full of charm, regardless of genre -- classical, pop, western music, Japanese music. It is a pleasure to have something to promote for a company. The typical example is Nobuyuki Tsujii's competition victory (Japanese first victory at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition) and his CD that became a big hit of the year at that time."
PHOTO: Nobu in close-up; he is well-coifed and polished, looking mature and smiling.
Overwhelming young talents, Nobuyuki Tsujii meets Miura Fumiaki
The genesis of Nakajima's encounter with Tsujii's talent is Debussy at a small concert hall when Tsujii was 13 years old, who went on to perform with Mr. Yutaka Sado. "He is a great talent," Mr. Sado said. "When I heard his playing tears kept flowing." It was as wonderful as Mozart playing Debussy. He was a 13 year old and a pure piano lover. It was obvious that he was a boy, so I did not like to make his CD debut with a catchphrase like boy genius." I didn't want to do that.Incidentally, from his debut to the present, Tsujii 's Avex profile does not have a mention of his visual impairment. It is the ultimate respect for a musician who has gained notice in the world. For Tsujii, in addition to the advice of Sado, whom he trusts, "If you are making CD, you absolutely had better do it with Mr. Nakajima," he said that he has a great deal of faith in Nakajima's attitude.
Tsujii: "When I made my debut, I did not want to be labelled as "a blind genius boy pianist. Because the handicap is not related to music at all; I wanted to be perceived a pianist, so I thought it was really good that I could make a CD with Mr. Nakajima,"
In addition, Tsujii 's desire to make his own sound as a composer has come true, two CDs of his original compositions have been released so far.
Meanwhile, Fumiaki Miura won, at the youngest age of 16, at the German Hannover International Violin Competition -- one of the world's three major violin competitions -- in 2009, at the same time as Tsujii. Before he signed with Avex, his CDs were released with so-called family and club-like elements. Nakajima viewed that as "wasteful." In order to draw out Miura's ability, he recorded performances of him performing violin concertos of Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn with prestigious Berlin-Germany Symphony Orchestra and Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Said Miura: "Because it was suddenly done with a high hurdle, I felt serious there."
PHOTO: Mr. Miura in close up, his hairdo is stylishly spiky.
Common-sense defying programs;
Expanding your listeners by teaming with classical hall of fame
Nakajima's relationship now with the two young leaders of the classical world is as "a friend who can talk about music and future works in a bar, who can listen to good performance and record a performance with good acoustics." Of course I am not a performer, so I don't know how Tsujii-kun feels when he listens to Horowitz and thinks, "I can do that!" I can only think along the line of "With Tsujii-kun, can I make a better CD than that work?" That kind of story is easy to do, "but I will let you know he has an overwhelming trust in me." It also leads to a repertoire that does not depend on the development of the artist and the common sense of conventional concerts.Nakajima: "The highest priced ticket for recent performances (Royal Liverpool Phil in May) is 21,000 yen, which is expensive, but we are doing a great performance, so we have to fill up the concert hall with as many people as possible. Normally, a concert with an orchestra is limited to one solo work, but we did two solo works, contrary to common classical music practice." "You may think that we make the artists do it, but they think they want to do it." "I'm confident that customers can be satisfied. The memory of the concert of today may last a lifetime. I like everyone to cry when they listen to Tsujii-kun's performance for the first time. I want them to cry; I don't care (he laughs) "
The two young talents are artistic leaders of the ARK CLASSICS festival to be held this autumn, and they are also involved in the selection of performers and the programs for the festival.
Tsujii: "When I played the duo with Mr. Miura for the first time last year, I experienced the pleasure of chamber music. It is fun to communicate with music, because piano music is mostly played by just one person. I love it, so I hope I can convey such pleasure with two people. "
Miura: "I played with him last year; as a result, I think that it would be nice to have a wonderful music companion in him. In the Ark Hills, right in the middle of Tokyo, it would be nice to have a sense of an atmosphere that you can enjoy classical music with. "
Nakajima is planning to work with Suntory Hall, the famed classical music hall [omitted: a sentence that online translation fails me], and expecting the event to grow into a world-class music festival, which will attract attention worldwide, as well as improving the ability of the two artistic leaders.
It is a strength of Avex Classics that there are artists who combine star attraction and familiarity, but it is also great that they let their performances penetrate into the tea room level. Is Miura's solo of the main theme "Sanada Maru" the most popular violin piece in Japan now?
Nakajima: "The work was composed by Takayuki Hattori; it was a long time ago (laugh); it was the first time that the violin plays solo for the theme song of a big river drama. So I think that Mr. Hattori also shouldered the burden. But we were pleased that Mr. Miura was picked to play it. Then Tsujii Kun played the piano in a rendition of the theme music, and they also appeared on NHK 's program. I think that made a great cycle. "
In addition, in November this year Tsujii will co-star with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra led by Vladimir Ashkenazy.
Nakajima: "Classical music is funny. Ashkenazy is 81 years old, the age of Tsujii-kun's grandparents; but in classical music people across generations perform together. I think in a collaboration, a young artist enjoys it regardless of the actual age of the performers; I think it is important for the young people to feel that way. Vladimir Fedoseyev [Russian conductor] is close to 90s years old. But he still can think 'I can do it.' That is an interesting part of classical music."
Nakajima's axis rests on a strong historical principle, while making announcements of events that surprise the classical world, such as programs that break common sense and music festivals produced in partnership with Suntory Hall.
Nakajima: "You do not deviate from serious things or ideals because of marketing. For example, you cannot do a piano solo in a huge hall with 6,000 people if the acoustics is bad; I do not want to do that kind of performance no matter how lucrative it is. It is not what Avex likes to do it. If the heart does not move, it is a business mistake. "
He strives to deliver classical music to as many unknown listeners as possible. Therefore, he wants to make the best CDs and concerts that draw in first-time audiences. Avex Classics' stance is to ensure the low threshold and high quality. In doing so, it hopes to draw in more and more listeners who are tasting classical music for the first time, without being aware of it.
Avex Classics International official site
Nobuyuki Tsujii official site
Fumiaki Miura official site