is a
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese
conductorConducting is the act of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. Orchestras, choirs, concert bands and other musical ensembles often have conductors.-Nomenclature:...
, particularly noted for his interpretations of large-scale late
RomanticRomantic music is a musicological term referring to a particular period, theory, compositional practice, and canon in European music history, from about 1800 to 1900....
works. He is most known for his work as
music director-Orchestra:The title of music director or musical director is used by many symphony orchestras to designate the primary conductor and artistic leader of the orchestra. The term "music director" is most common for orchestras in the United States...
of the
Boston Symphony OrchestraThe Boston Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays the majority of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the...
and the
Vienna State OperaThe Vienna State Opera is an opera house — and opera company — with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera ; in 1920, it was renamed the Vienna State Opera...
.
Biography
Japanese conductor, Seiji Ozawa, was born on September 1, 1935 to Japanese parents in the city of
ShenyangShenyang , or Mukden , is a sub-provincial city and capital of Liaoning province in Northeast China.Along with its nearby cities, Shenyang is an important industrial center in China, and the transportation and commercial centre of China's northeastern region.The city was also known as Shengjing or...
,
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
, while it was under Japanese occupation. When his family returned to Japan in 1944, he began studying piano with Noboru Toyomasu, heavily studying the works of
Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and organist whose ecclesiastical and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
. After graduating from the Seijo Junior High School in 1950, Ozawa sprained his finger in a rugby game. Unable to continue studying the piano, his teacher at the the
Toho Gakuen School of Musicis a private conservatoire located in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan.-History:Toho Gakuen was founded in 1948 in Kudan as a music school for children, and two years later opened the Toho High School of Music, to provide quality musical education to teenage girls. 1955 saw the establishment of the Junior...
(Hideo Saito), brought Ozawa to a life-changing performance of
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1804–08. This symphony is one of the most popular and well-known compositions in all of European classical music, and one of the most often played symphonies. It comprises four movements: an opening sonata allegro, an...
, which ultimately shifted his musical focus from piano performance to conducting. Almost a decade after the sports injury, Ozawa won the first prize at the
International Competition of Orchestra ConductorsThe International Besançon Competition for Young Conductors, is a music competition for young conductors in the city of Besançon, France.-History:...
in
BesanconBesançon , is the capital and principal city of the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France. It had a population of about 220,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 1999...
,
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
. His success in France led to an invitation by Charles Munch, then the music director of the
Boston Symphony OrchestraThe Boston Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays the majority of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the...
, to attend the Berkshire Music Center (now the
Tanglewood Music CenterThe Tanglewood Music Center is an annual summer music academy in Lenox, Massachusetts, United States, in which emerging professional musicians participate in performances, master classes and workshops designed to provide an intense training and networking experience...
). In 1960, shortly after his arrival, Ozawa won the Koussevitzky Prize for outstanding student conductor, Tanglewood’s highest honor. Receiving a scholarship to study conducting with famous Austrian conductor,
Herbert von KarajanHerbert von Karajan was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor and one of the most renowned conductors in music history. His obituary in The New York Times described him as "probably the world's best-known conductor and one of the most powerful figures in classical music." Karajan conducted...
, Ozawa moved to
West BerlinWest Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors established in 1945. It was in many ways integrated with, although legally not a part of, West Germany...
. Under the tutelage of von Karajan, Ozawa caught the attention of prominent conductor,
Leonard BernsteinLeonard Bernstein was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
. Bernstein then appointed him as assistant conductor of the
New York PhilharmonicThe New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
where he remained for the next four years. While with the New York Philharmonic, he made his first professional concert appearance with the
San Francisco SymphonyThe San Francisco Symphony is a leading orchestra based in San Francisco, California. The current music director is Michael Tilson Thomas, who has held the position since September 1995.-History:...
in 1962. In December 1962 Ozawa was involved in a controversy with the prestigious Japanese
NHK Symphony OrchestraThe in Tokyo, Japan began as the New Symphony Orchestra on October 5, 1926 and was the country's first professional symphony orchestra. Later, it changed its name to Japan Symphony Orchestra and in 1951, after receiving financial support from NHK, it took its current name...
when certain players, unhappy with his style and personality, refused to play under him. Ozawa went on to conduct the rival
Japan Philharmonic OrchestraThe , is an orchestra based in Tokyo, Japan.-History:The Japan Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in June 22,1956, as the exclusive subsidiary orchestra under the Nippon Cultural Broadcasting. Akeo Watanabe served the first Chief conductor of the orchestra...
instead. From 1964 to 1971, Seiji Ozawa served as the first music director of the Ravinia Festival, the summer home of the
Chicago Symphony OrchestraThe Chicago Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival...
.
He was
music director-Orchestra:The title of music director or musical director is used by many symphony orchestras to designate the primary conductor and artistic leader of the orchestra. The term "music director" is most common for orchestras in the United States...
of the
Toronto Symphony OrchestraThe Toronto Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario.The TSO was founded in 1922 as the New Symphony Orchestra, and gave its first concert at Massey Hall in April 1923. The orchestra changed its name to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1927. The TSO continued to give...
from 1965 to 1970, and of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra from 1969 to 1976.
Between the years of 1964–1973, he directed various orchestras until he became music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1973. His tenure at the BSO was maintained for twenty-nine years, the longest tenure of any music director that surpassed the twenty-five years that held by Koussevistzky. Ozawa won his first
Emmy AwardThe Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards , Grammy Awards and Tony Awards .They are presented in various...
in 1976, for the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s
PBSThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television service with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. However, its operations are largely funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting...
television series, “Evening at Symphony.” In 1994, the BSO dedicated its new Tanglewood concert hall "Seiji Ozawa Hall" in honor of his 20th season with the orchestra. In 1994, he was awarded his second Emmy for Individual Achievement in Cultural Programming for “Dvorak in Prague: A Celebration.” An effort to merge all-Japanese orchestras and performers with international artists, Ozawa, along with
Kazuyoshi Akiyamais a Japanese conductor.-Biography:Born into a musical family, he studied piano at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, but was fascinated by the conducting activities of a fellow student, Seiji Ozawa. He decided to study conducting with Hideo Saito...
, founded the Saito Kinen Orchestra in 1992. Since its creation, the orchestra has gained a prominent position in the international music community. In the same year, he also made his debut with the
Metropolitan OperaThe Metropolitan Opera Association of New York City, founded in April 1880, is a major presenter of all types of opera including Grand Opera. Peter Gelb is the company's general manager. The music director is James Levine....
in New York. He has additionally conducted the Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic on a regular basis. Ozawa can also be seen in concert with the New Japan Philharmonic, the London Symphony, the Orchestre National de France, La Scala in Milan and the Vienna Staatsoper. Ozawa caused controversy from 1996–1997 with sudden demands for change at the Tanglewood Music Center, which caused
Gilbert KalishGilbert Kalish is an American pianist.He was born in New York and studied with Leonard Shure, Julius Hereford and Isabelle Vengerova. He was a founding member of the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, a pioneering new music group that flourished during the 1960s and '70s...
and
Leon FleisherLeon Fleisher is an American pianist and conductor.He was born in San Francisco, California, where he started studying the piano at age 4...
to resign in protest. Towards the end of Ozawa's tenure, he received strong criticism from the American critic and composer Greg Sandow, which led to controversy in the Boston press. Other critical commentary on Ozawa's tenure in Boston has been aired.
Ozawa has also been an advocate of
20th century classical music20th-century classical music developed or reacted to the trends started in the previous century. At the turn of the century, music was characteristically late Romantic in style, while at the same time the Impressionist movement, spearheaded by Claude Debussy, was being developed in France...
, giving the premieres of a number of works including
György LigetiGyörgy Sándor Ligeti was a composer, born in a Hungarian Jewish family in Transylvania, Romania. He briefly lived in Hungary before later becoming an Austrian citizen...
's
San Francisco Polyphony in 1975 and
Olivier MessiaenOlivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist, and ornithologist. He entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of 11 and numbered Paul Dukas, Maurice Emmanuel, Charles-Marie Widor and Marcel Dupré among his teachers. He was appointed organist at the church of La Trinité in Paris in 1931, a...
's opera
Saint François d'Assise in 1983. He is noted to have somewhat of a photographic memory, as he is able to memorize the scores of large works such as the Mahler Symphonies.
Since 2002, he has been music director of the
Vienna State OperaThe Vienna State Opera is an opera house — and opera company — with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera ; in 1920, it was renamed the Vienna State Opera...
. Ozawa continues to play a key role as a teacher and administrator at the Tanglewood Music Center, the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer music home that has programs for young professionals and high school students. In 2002, he continued to follow in Herbert von Karajan’s footsteps, as he became music director of the
Vienna State OperaThe Vienna State Opera is an opera house — and opera company — with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera ; in 1920, it was renamed the Vienna State Opera...
. On New Years Day 2002, Ozawa conducted an all-Strauss concert with the Vienna Philharmonic, programming the concert so it would have a nice flow and keep everyone’s interest as they ushered in the New Year. In 2005, he conducted the Tokyo Opera Nomori’s debut of Richard Strauss’ Elektra. Ozawa has received a significant amount of criticism, especially from Boston music critic
Greg SandowGreg Sandow is an American music critic and composer. He is a graduate of Harvard University, with a bachelor's degree in government, and of Yale University, with a master's degree in composition....
, as he reports that some BSO members claim that Ozawa gives “no specific leadership in matters of tempo and rhythm”, providing no “expression of care about sound quality.” Despite the criticism, Ozawa serves a musical role model: an Asian performer who has not only attained fame in the West, but has also devoted his life to fostering a global community within
classical musicClassical music is the mainstream music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 9th century to present times...
. On February 1, 2006, the
Vienna State OperaThe Vienna State Opera is an opera house — and opera company — with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera ; in 1920, it was renamed the Vienna State Opera...
announced that he had to cancel all his 2006 conducting engagements because of illness, including
pneumoniaPneumonia is an inflammatory illness of the lung. Frequently, it is described as lung parenchyma/alveolar inflammation and abnormal alveolar filling with fluid ....
and shingles. He returned to conducting in March 2007 at the Tokyo Opera Nomori. Ozawa is scheduled to step down from his post at the Vienna State Opera in 2010, to be succeeded by
Franz Welser-MöstFranz Welser-Möst is an Austrian conductor who is currently the music director for the Cleveland Orchestra.- Biography :...
.
Ozawa became famous not only for his conducting mannerisms, but also his sartorial style: he wore the traditional formal dress with a white
turtleneckA polo neck or turtle neck or skivvy is a garment—usually a sweater—with a close-fitting, round, and high collar that folds over and covers the neck...
rather than the usual
starchStarch or amylum is a polysaccharide carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined together by glycosidic bonds.Starch is produced by all green plants as an energy store and is a major food source for humans....
ed shirt,
waistcoatA waistcoat , sometimes called a vest or a vestee in Canada and the US, is a sleeveless upper-body garment worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear, and as the third piece of the three-piece male business suit...
, and white
tieTie may refer to:* Necktie, a long piece of cloth worn around the neck or shoulders* Tie , a finish to a competition with identical results, particularly sports...
.
In October 2008, Ozawa was honored with Japan's
Order of CultureThe Order of Culture is a Japanese order, established on February 11, 1937. The order has one class only, and may be awarded to men and women for contributions to Japan's art, literature or culture; recipients of the order also receive an annuity for life...
; and an awards ceremony for the Order of Culture will be held at the Imperial Palace. He is a recipient of the 34th
Suntory Music AwardThe , previously known as the , designed to promote Western music in Japan, has been given by the Suntory Music Foundation since their establishment in 1969. The award is presented annually to individuals or groups for the greatest achievement in the development of Western or contemporary music in...
(2002) and the International Center in New York's Award of Excellence.
Seiji Ozawa holds honorary doctorate degrees from
Harvard UniversityHarvard University is a private university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1636 by the colonial Massachusetts legislature, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and currently comprises ten separate academic units...
, the New England Conservatory, the
University of MassachusettsThe University of Massachusetts is the five-campus public university system of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts....
, and
Wheaton CollegeWheaton College is a prestigious four-year, private liberal arts college with an approximate student body of 1,550. Wheaton's is located in Norton, Massachusetts, between Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island. Founded in 1834 as a female seminary, it is one of the oldest institutions...
.
Awards and honors
- 1958: Toho School of Music: 1st Prize in conducting and composition
- 1959: International Competition of Orchestra Conductors, Besancon, France
- 1960: Koussevitzky Prize for Outstanding Student Conductor, Tanglewood
- 1976: Emmy for "Evening at Symphony"
- 1994: Emmy for "Dvorak in Prague"
- 1994: Inouye Award, Japan
- 1998: Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, France
- 2001: Membership in the Academic des Beaux-Arts de l'Institut de France (Given by French President Jacques Chirac)
- 2002: Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art, First Class (Given by Austrian President Thomas Klestil)
- 2003: Mainichi Art Award and Suntory Music Prize
- 2004: Honorary Doctorate from the Sorbonne University of France
Recording Labels
- Sony BMG
- RCA Victor Red Seal
- Philips
- Deutsche Grammophon
- Universal Music Group
- EMI Classics
- RCA
- DG Galleria
- Teldec
External links