This year, we will be linking up with La Folle Journee TOKYO 2024, one of the world's largest classical music festivals, which will be held mainly at Tokyo International Forum, and will host approximately 60 free classical concerts at nine Venue in Marunouchi Area.
The Marunouchi Area will be filled with performances by professional musicians such as pianists and guitarists active both in Japan and abroad, as well as students from Tokyo University of the Arts, during Golden Week.

In addition, free pianos will be available at four Venue for anyone to play.
One of Venue, Tokyo Building TOKIA, will feature the "Katen Piano," a traveling piano by pianist Hayato Kadono, who has over 1.32 million subscribers on YouTube channel and goes by the name "Katen."

This classical concert can be enjoyed by both adults and children, not just those who love classical music, but also those who have never seen a classical concert before!

▶︎La Folle Journee TOKYO 2024 Marunouchi Area Concert Brochure available here

01. Main Performances

■Bashauma trio

Tracklist

Song of Revival, Wandering the Ancient Capital (Taku Oshiba) and others

Performance Date and Time

May 3rd (Friday, National Holiday) 12:00-12:30

Venue

Marunouchi Bldg. 1st floor Maru Cube

Cast

Takuya Iwata (Shakuhachi), Taku Oshiba (Guitar), Yoichi Okabe (Percussion)

A trio consisting of Takuya Iwata on shakuhachi, Taku Oshiba on guitar, and Yoichi Okabe on percussion. The band's unique instrument lineup, as well as the type of music each member plays on a daily basis and the generation they are from, are all different. The common thread between the three is that the band's greatest characteristic is its "overwhelming sense of speed, and the sense of song and delicacy that can be glimpsed within it." Armed with this musicality, the band is active mainly in Tokyo, focusing on the repertoire of Taku Oshiba, who is also a composer. Their live performances are always well-received. This summer, they plan to hold their first nationwide tour.

■Piano and woodwind quintet

Tracklist

Mozart: Overture to the opera "The Magic Flute", "Instrument Introduction", "One Minute Conductor Corner", Poulenc: Sextet for Piano and Wooden Tablet Quintet

Performance Date and Time

May 3rd (Friday, National Holiday) 14:00-14:40

Venue

Marunouchi Bldg. 1st floor Maru Cube

Cast

Kitamura Tomorrow (piano), [Eroica Woodwind Quintet] Saito Mitsuharu (flute), Mogami Mineyuki (oboe), Taisei Masashi (clarinet), Inoue Naoya (bassoon), Ogawa Atsuhiro (horn)

Pianist Kitamura Asato, who won the Grand Prix, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award, the Steinway Award and the Audience Award in 2022 at the Pitina Piano Competition, the world's largest piano competition with a total of about 40,000 participants from all over the country every year, will perform with the Eroica Woodwind Quintet, a talented woodwind unit that is popular every year at Marunouchi Area concerts, consisting of Saito Mitsuharu, Mogami Mineyuki, Taisei Masashi, Inoue Naoya and Ogawa Atsushi. This year, Ogawa Atsushi (horn) will be performing as a guest instead of Omori Keishi (horn). In addition to the performance, the conversation is also a highlight. We will deliver a time of authentic classical music that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

■Motoyoshi Hirai

Tracklist

Beethoven: Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 96
"150th Anniversary of the Birth of Holst" Holst (edited by Hirai Motoyoshi):
From "Japanese Suite", Op. 33, and more

Performance Date and Time

Friday, May 3rd (National Holiday) 15:45-16:30

Venue

Marunouchi Bldg. 1st floor Maru Cube

Cast

Motoyoshi Hirai (piano), Madeleine Mitchell (violin)

This year, internationally renowned Artist based overseas will be making a comeback to Marunouchi Bldg. stage. The performers are Motoyoshi Hirai, a London-based concert pianist and composer who has performed in over 100 countries around the world and has successfully toured many overseas as an arts ambassador, and Madeleine Mitchell, one of Britain's leading violinists. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Gustav Holst's birth, Hirai will be performing Holst's works arranged by him, as well as new compositions of his own.

■Bizet: Highlights from the opera "Carmen" (performed in Japanese with narration)

Tracklist

Bizet: Preliude from the opera "Carmen", Chorus of Cigarette Girl, and more

Performance Date and Time

Friday, May 3rd (National Holiday) 18:15-19:05

Venue

Marunouchi Bldg. 1st floor Maru Cube

Cast

Marunouchi Symphony Orchestra, Marunouchi Festival Singers, General Director and Conductor: Yuino Kishimoto, Narration: Yuko Aoki (former NHK announcer), Carmen (mezzo-soprano): Marie Hori, Don Jose (tenor): Yusuke Shida, Escamillo (baritone): Koji Terada

Enjoy the only opera performance at a Marunouchi Area concert. The Marunouchi Symphony Orchestra, a specially organized group of amateur musicians, and the Marunouchi Festival Singers, an amateur choir that plans and performs operas, will be appearing again this year. They will be performing an excerpt from the opera "Carmen," their first time participating in LFJ, and will present a spectacular stage performance that everyone can enjoy.

■150th Anniversary of Burgmüller's Death Project Burgmüller ORIGINES

Tracklist

Arabesque, Lady on Horseback, Memories of Regensburg, etc.

Performance Date and Time

May 4th (Saturday, National Holiday) 12:55-13:35

Venue

Shin-Marunouchi Bldg. 3rd Floor Atrium

Cast

Natsuo Nishimoto (piano), Yu Iida (MC)

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the death of Johann Friedrich Franz Burgmüller, who is famous in Japan as the composer of the piano lesson bible "25 Etudes op. 100". A special performance will be held to delve deeper into Burgmüller. The performers will be popular pianist Natsuo Nishimoto, who has won numerous international awards including first place at the 1st San Giovanni Teatino International Piano Competition and has had many works dedicated to her by contemporary composers, and music facilitator Arisato Iida. Iida will be the partner for Nishimoto's authentic performance and a deep discussion about Burgmüller. There will also be a program where people can join in on the fun.

■ Future pianists

Tracklist

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op.2-2, 2nd movement, Scherzo Allegretto, and more

Performance Date and Time

May 5th (Sunday, National Holiday) 12:15-12:55

Venue

Tokyo Bldg. TOKIA 1st floor Galleria

Cast

Yusuke Nagayoshi (piano), Yuri Yasui (piano), Yuune Hasegawa (piano)

This performance will feature three young Artist in their early teens who have recently won top prizes at the Pitina Piano Competition, the world's largest piano competition, which attracts a total of 40,000 participants from all over Japan every year. The performers are Nagayoshi Tomoaki, winner of the 2023 F-class (3rd year high school students and below) Gold Award, Yasui Yuri, winner of the 2019 C-class (6th grade elementary school students and below) Gold Award, and Hasegawa Yuune, winner of the 2019 D-class (2nd grade junior high school students and below) Silver Award. Enjoy the performances of these promising Artist who will lead the future.

02.Free Piano

●Free piano lessons are limited to a maximum of 10 minutes per group. (This starts from the time of your reservation.)
●Ensemble performances are permitted. However, due to consideration for the surrounding environment, bringing in power-driven instruments such as amplifiers or microphones is not permitted.

■ Marunouchi Bldg. Building exterior

The ENSCHU brand's red piano made its street piano debut last year and has been a huge success.
(With the cooperation of Enshu Musical Instruments Co., Ltd.)

■ Tokyo Bldg. TOKIA 1st floor Galleria

"Katin Piano" is a YouTube channel where pianist Hayato Kadono, who goes by the name "Katin," travels around the country.

■Meiji Yasuda Village 1st floor atrium

The grand piano used for classical concerts is available as a free piano.

Shin-Marunouchi Bldg. 1F Nakadori Terrace

The familiar art piano will be back in Marunouchi this year.

03. "Ontenna" rental Service

"Ontenna," developed by Fujitsu Limited, is a completely new user interface that can be worn on your hair, earlobes, collar, or sleeve opening, and allows you to feel the characteristics of sound with your body through vibration and light. You can try it out for free at TOKIA Galleria on the 1st floor.
[Ontenna is a winner of the TMIP Innovation Award.]
*Available for loan to anyone, including the deaf/hard of hearing and hearing people.

04. ＜Related Information＞La Folle Journee TOKYO 2024

La Folle Journée is a classical music festival that was founded in 1995 in Nantes, a port city in western France. Each year, a theme composer or Category is chosen, and concerts are held that allow you to immerse yourself in music all day long. It has been held at Tokyo International Forum since 2005, and this year marks its 17th anniversary. This year's theme is "ORIGINES - where it all began." It will shine a spotlight on various musical traditions that have inspired composers from all over the world for centuries.

event date

May 3rd (Friday, national holiday), May 4th (Saturday, national holiday), May 5th (Sunday, national holiday)

Venue

Tokyo International Forum, Otemachi, Marunouchi, Yurakucho, Tokyo Station, Kyobashi, Ginza, Yaesu, Hibiya

Number of performances

90 performances

Organize

La Folle Journee TOKYO 2024 Organizing Committee
(Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. / Tokyo International Forum Ltd. / KAJIMOTO Co., Ltd.)
Special cooperation: Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd.