The following article, in Japanese, was accessed at https://www.pr-table.com/avex/stories/41856 on April 7 2020. Please scroll down for a rough English translation.
Image below: Nobuyuki Tsujii with his two managers
![]()
Avex is a company specializing in artist management in music, and in the planning, production and operation of concerts and music / video contents. A small group of elite units work together on classical music. 中村 勝利Katsumi Nakamura (photo below, left) and 佐藤 太一Taichi Sato (photo below, right), managers of pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, talk about their work and the real pleasure.
![]()
There are about 20 employees, including the head office [in Tokyo] and the London branch office. ACI supports a small number of elite artists, including pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii. Chief Manager Nakamura recalls that the background of the ACI was the desire to strengthen support for Mr. Tsujii.
Nakamura: "Tsujii has been extremely busy since winning the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in June 2009. At the time, he had a relation with our classic section, and he ended up being managed by Avex. Initially, he was a label artist in Avex's classical music category established in 2003,. The company wanted to further strengthen Tsujii's support system, and the ACI was established in 2011 as a new business section, headed by the current ACI President Nakajima. Nakajima proposed to establish a new business branch specializing in classical music, and he wanted to create a system that could better support Tsujii and cultivate classical artists who are active in the world. Avex agreed with the vision, so ACI was established."
Nakamura and Sato support the activities as Tsujii's managers. Tsujii's worldwide schedule is always tightly packed. His concert schedule has already been filled for two years, and it is not unusual for a global conductor to ask for him in a hurry.
Juggling their schedules, the managers travel in Japan and abroad non-stop. It is their job to always be ready in support of Tsujii.
Nakamura: "We are providing vision for Tsujii, so we often stay together with him morning, afternoon, and evening. Not only do we travel with him, but we also escort him on stage. He is our responsibility, and at ACI we cooperate as Tsujii managers.''
Until they became managers, they had steadily developed their skills in different ways. They became managers as a result of their interest in the concert business.
Nakamura has been the Chief Manager of Tsujii at ACI for nine years, ever since its establishment. Nakamura: "When I was a high school student, I formed a band in Kagoshima, my hometown. The motivation to work in the music industry was due to my interest in the work of the concert support staff at local concerts ... staff in charge of the sound and lighting. I started looking for a job in the music industry and moved to Tokyo to go to a music college. "
"After graduating from a vocational school, I worked as an A & R assistant in the production department of BMG Fun House. After that, I moved to Avex in December 2004."
He was involved in a wide range of tasks such as media and artist in the advertising department.
Nakamura: "At the time when I worked at the advertising department, Tsujii won the first prize at the competition. I arranged the press for news coverage at the airport and the handing of a bouquet to him to welcome his return home. I had a live performance on TV shortly afterwards and got my first job."
Two years after Tsujii joined Avex in 2009, Nakamura was asked by ACI President Nakajima to be a manager.
Nakamura: " I had never even listened to classic music, and, being asked, "Do you want to try to be a manager? " It was an invitation that I could not turn down; and I wanted to do what I can. "
"In high school, I remember seeing Tsujii appearing on TV as a genius pianist, but at that time I never thought I would be his manager in the future and spend more time together with him than with my family."
Nakamura knows Tsujii's excellence better than anyone because he spends time together with him daily.
Nakamura: "There are wonderful pianists all over the world, and I think some of them are more skilled than Tsujii, but there are sounds that can only be made by Tsujii. Pure and dedicated piano. I think that the audience are impressed by him because of his attitude.
Sato traveled abroad to see the world, fulfilling his dream. When he returned home, he worked at an izakaya [a Japanese pub]. A high school friend came to his shop by accident.
Sato: "It was my friend who led me to Avex. That friend was working at Avex and was looking for someone who could do a part-time job on short notice. I was interviewed and was asked, "Would you like to come and work with us tomorrow?"
Despite the sudden development, Sato loved music, including listening to dance music since junior high school. This led him to work for Avex in January 2006.
Sato liked the work of the izakaya and also the work of the advertising department, and claims there is a common feature.
Sato: "At an izakaya, when you serve a dish to a customer, you can see reactions like 'Wow, this looks delicious.' And at the advertising department, you can see the fans' reactions to the artists nearby. I wanted to continue working in the field. ''
However, Sato was later transferred to the administration department (contract department) and engaged in internal work. "When I expressed my desire to return to the field, Nakamura, whom I knew at the advertising department, heard me and transferred me to ACI."
Nakamura: "Because the work as manager had increased to the point where I had little time for myself, I thought that a person whom I could trust would be good. Sato had experience in the advertising department and contract department, and a reliable personality. I called for him because I thought he could do it. ''
Sato first heard Tsujii's live performances while working in the advertising department. He wasn't very familiar with classical music, but when he listened to Tsujii's performances, the tears overflowed naturally.
Sato: "I was moved by how impressive Tsujii's performance was, so when I was invited by Nakamura to be a manager of Tsujii, I was able to work on music that I genuinely thought was good. I was happy. "
Sato, who is once again involved in on-site work, still relies on checking the reaction of the customers.
Sato: "Every time I escort Tsujii on the stage or stand by him on stage, I try to check the customer's raw reactions. Because I always walk along with Tsujii and support him, I can gather an impression from the reactions. ''
Nakamura: "Because I'm busy, when I can turn it off, I turn it off and have a barbecue and go to hot springs. I have made friends with people we met in the places we visited, and sometimes we go drinking together in private; it's like a friend or family, not a manager and an artist. "
Being together at not only work, but also play, fosters a relationship of trust and has a positive effect on Tsujii's artistic activities.
Nakamura: When we go to a local area for a concert, what we see at a glance is a local image, but in the case of Tsujii, we communicate with local people and eat local things. I think that makes it easy for him to get an image of the place; and since he's also a composer, experiences outside of work can contribute to his creativity. "
Nakamura and Sato continue to support Tsujii, both at work and in private.
"I think the real pleasure of being a manager is that you can grow up and deliver excitement while maintaining the life of the artist."
Nakamura: "I've been involved with a lot of artists, but now as a manager, I think that I'm more personally involved. I feel it's a way of life. "
Nakamura has been in charge of media and artists, and Sato has worked in the management department in addition to advertising. Both skills are needed at ACI, which does work in every facet related to classical music. "I want to use my skills to support Tsujii in the future."
Nakamura: "Tsujii has come very far from when he won the international competition, and he has continued to be grateful while appearing on stage, bowing again and again after each performance. He also extends his gratitude to the staff. He really loves being a pianist. So we want to be with him to help him deliver that wonderful performance as long as possible. "
The two managers will continue to walk alongside the artist.
Image below: Nobuyuki Tsujii with his two managers
These managers walk with the artist, providing him with a vision for the field and the future
2020.03.19Avex is a company specializing in artist management in music, and in the planning, production and operation of concerts and music / video contents. A small group of elite units work together on classical music. 中村 勝利Katsumi Nakamura (photo below, left) and 佐藤 太一Taichi Sato (photo below, right), managers of pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, talk about their work and the real pleasure.
ACI Supports Classic Artists, Two Managers
Avex Classics International Limited (ACI) was established in October 2011. It manags everything related to the activities of its classical music artists, such as planning and running concerts and producing content.There are about 20 employees, including the head office [in Tokyo] and the London branch office. ACI supports a small number of elite artists, including pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii. Chief Manager Nakamura recalls that the background of the ACI was the desire to strengthen support for Mr. Tsujii.
Nakamura: "Tsujii has been extremely busy since winning the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in June 2009. At the time, he had a relation with our classic section, and he ended up being managed by Avex. Initially, he was a label artist in Avex's classical music category established in 2003,. The company wanted to further strengthen Tsujii's support system, and the ACI was established in 2011 as a new business section, headed by the current ACI President Nakajima. Nakajima proposed to establish a new business branch specializing in classical music, and he wanted to create a system that could better support Tsujii and cultivate classical artists who are active in the world. Avex agreed with the vision, so ACI was established."
Nakamura and Sato support the activities as Tsujii's managers. Tsujii's worldwide schedule is always tightly packed. His concert schedule has already been filled for two years, and it is not unusual for a global conductor to ask for him in a hurry.
Juggling their schedules, the managers travel in Japan and abroad non-stop. It is their job to always be ready in support of Tsujii.
Nakamura: "We are providing vision for Tsujii, so we often stay together with him morning, afternoon, and evening. Not only do we travel with him, but we also escort him on stage. He is our responsibility, and at ACI we cooperate as Tsujii managers.''
Until they became managers, they had steadily developed their skills in different ways. They became managers as a result of their interest in the concert business.
Nakamura has been the Chief Manager of Tsujii at ACI for nine years, ever since its establishment. Nakamura: "When I was a high school student, I formed a band in Kagoshima, my hometown. The motivation to work in the music industry was due to my interest in the work of the concert support staff at local concerts ... staff in charge of the sound and lighting. I started looking for a job in the music industry and moved to Tokyo to go to a music college. "
"After graduating from a vocational school, I worked as an A & R assistant in the production department of BMG Fun House. After that, I moved to Avex in December 2004."
He was involved in a wide range of tasks such as media and artist in the advertising department.
Nakamura: "At the time when I worked at the advertising department, Tsujii won the first prize at the competition. I arranged the press for news coverage at the airport and the handing of a bouquet to him to welcome his return home. I had a live performance on TV shortly afterwards and got my first job."
Two years after Tsujii joined Avex in 2009, Nakamura was asked by ACI President Nakajima to be a manager.
Nakamura: " I had never even listened to classic music, and, being asked, "Do you want to try to be a manager? " It was an invitation that I could not turn down; and I wanted to do what I can. "
"In high school, I remember seeing Tsujii appearing on TV as a genius pianist, but at that time I never thought I would be his manager in the future and spend more time together with him than with my family."
Nakamura knows Tsujii's excellence better than anyone because he spends time together with him daily.
Nakamura: "There are wonderful pianists all over the world, and I think some of them are more skilled than Tsujii, but there are sounds that can only be made by Tsujii. Pure and dedicated piano. I think that the audience are impressed by him because of his attitude.
Guided by connections to the music industry. A manager who values customer reaction.
Until he became a manager at ACI, Nakamura worked as a production assistant at ACI, making connections. Sato, who is also Tsujii's manager along with Nakamura, was also led to ACI through connections.Sato traveled abroad to see the world, fulfilling his dream. When he returned home, he worked at an izakaya [a Japanese pub]. A high school friend came to his shop by accident.
Sato: "It was my friend who led me to Avex. That friend was working at Avex and was looking for someone who could do a part-time job on short notice. I was interviewed and was asked, "Would you like to come and work with us tomorrow?"
Despite the sudden development, Sato loved music, including listening to dance music since junior high school. This led him to work for Avex in January 2006.
Sato liked the work of the izakaya and also the work of the advertising department, and claims there is a common feature.
Sato: "At an izakaya, when you serve a dish to a customer, you can see reactions like 'Wow, this looks delicious.' And at the advertising department, you can see the fans' reactions to the artists nearby. I wanted to continue working in the field. ''
However, Sato was later transferred to the administration department (contract department) and engaged in internal work. "When I expressed my desire to return to the field, Nakamura, whom I knew at the advertising department, heard me and transferred me to ACI."
Nakamura: "Because the work as manager had increased to the point where I had little time for myself, I thought that a person whom I could trust would be good. Sato had experience in the advertising department and contract department, and a reliable personality. I called for him because I thought he could do it. ''
Sato first heard Tsujii's live performances while working in the advertising department. He wasn't very familiar with classical music, but when he listened to Tsujii's performances, the tears overflowed naturally.
Sato: "I was moved by how impressive Tsujii's performance was, so when I was invited by Nakamura to be a manager of Tsujii, I was able to work on music that I genuinely thought was good. I was happy. "
Sato, who is once again involved in on-site work, still relies on checking the reaction of the customers.
Sato: "Every time I escort Tsujii on the stage or stand by him on stage, I try to check the customer's raw reactions. Because I always walk along with Tsujii and support him, I can gather an impression from the reactions. ''
The real pleasure for the managers is that they can grow together and deliver excitement
While on concert tour, Nakamura and Sato stay with Tsujii except at bedtime. On holidays, they sometimes spend time with colleagues and artists.Nakamura: "Because I'm busy, when I can turn it off, I turn it off and have a barbecue and go to hot springs. I have made friends with people we met in the places we visited, and sometimes we go drinking together in private; it's like a friend or family, not a manager and an artist. "
Being together at not only work, but also play, fosters a relationship of trust and has a positive effect on Tsujii's artistic activities.
Nakamura: When we go to a local area for a concert, what we see at a glance is a local image, but in the case of Tsujii, we communicate with local people and eat local things. I think that makes it easy for him to get an image of the place; and since he's also a composer, experiences outside of work can contribute to his creativity. "
Nakamura and Sato continue to support Tsujii, both at work and in private.
"I think the real pleasure of being a manager is that you can grow up and deliver excitement while maintaining the life of the artist."
Nakamura: "I've been involved with a lot of artists, but now as a manager, I think that I'm more personally involved. I feel it's a way of life. "
Nakamura has been in charge of media and artists, and Sato has worked in the management department in addition to advertising. Both skills are needed at ACI, which does work in every facet related to classical music. "I want to use my skills to support Tsujii in the future."
Nakamura: "Tsujii has come very far from when he won the international competition, and he has continued to be grateful while appearing on stage, bowing again and again after each performance. He also extends his gratitude to the staff. He really loves being a pianist. So we want to be with him to help him deliver that wonderful performance as long as possible. "
The two managers will continue to walk alongside the artist.