ＨＩＤＥＡＫＩ　（ＡＫＩ）　ＨＩＲＡＩ

Conductor/Dirigent

photo by Norihiko Izumiya

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HIDEAKI HIRAI has “a talent deeply ingrained in his genes” (The Den), is one of the most gifted young conductors to emerge from Japan. He is currently Music Director and Conductor of the Tokyo Opera Experimental Theatre and Conductor of the Tokyo Opera Production. Prior to this he has held the position of Conductor at Tokyo New City Orchestra, Guest Conductor/Co-founder of the Czech Virtuosi and Music Director of the Capital Young Artists Orchestra (Washington, D.C.) and the CYAO International Summer Music Festival (Virginia). In 1997 he was the first prize-winner of the Sixth Hradec Kralove International Conducting Competition (Czech Republic). In 2001 Mr. Hirai was chosen by Lorin Maazel as one of the ten promising conductors in Asia. In 2002 Mr. Hirai was nominated among the Stars of Tomorrow in Japan to conduct the All-Tokyo Symphony Orchestra (all-star members from the top orchestras in Tokyo including NHK Symphony Orchestra).

 

He has conducted many leading orchestras including the Cadaques Chamber Orchestra, Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Croatian Radio-TV Symphony Orchestra, Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Finnish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Janacek Philharmonic, Karlsbad Symphony Orchestra, Moravian Philharmonic, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Silesian Philharmonic and most of the major orchestras in Japan such as Japan Philharmonic, New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. His recent festival appearances include Martinu Festival, Young Prague Music Festival in the Czech Republic, Japan Festival (U.S.A.) and Martha Argherich Music Festival (Beppu, Japan).

 

Acknowledged as opera conductor, Hideaki Hirai has been a frequent guest with the prestigious New National Theatre, Tokyo. Following his successful debut with Mitridate and Lucio Silla (Mozart) in November 2003, Maestro Hirai was immediately offered re-engagements with Marriage of Figaro in April 2005 and with Serse (Handel) in January 2006. His recent opera performances include productions of La Boheme, Carmen, Madame Butterfly, La Traviata and a sensational success as “conductor, composer and librettist” of his own opera, Princess from the Moon in Tokyo (2003). In June 2006, the Canberra Times (Australia) praised Hirai's opera as constantly melodious and warmly harmonic and Puccini-Japanese style upon its performance in Australia as main event of the “2006 Australia-Japan Year of Exchange”. The work is becoming in much demand and already scheduled for future productions (i.e., Prague, Yokohama, etc.) beyond 2009. He has been honoured to receive a special commission to write a new opera, “100-year Love of KOMACHI”, to be premiered at the prestigious National Cultural Festival 2008 in Japan.

 

Mr. Hirai, born into a celebrated musical family, studied piano, violin and composition with his grandfather, eminent composer Kozaburo Hirai and cello with his father, Takeichiro Hirai, noted cellist whom Pablo Casals designated as his successor. Hirai's first public presentation was his own works for children's chorus and school plays at age 7. As a cellist, he has performed frequently in recitals and chamber concerts in Tokyo, New York, Washington, D.C., and in Europe (Spain, France and Italy) while he participated in the Juilliard Summer School in Mallorca, Spain.

 

Hideaki Hirai graduated from the University of Rochester (New York) with a Bachelor's degree in political science, where he studied conducting under David Effron at the Eastman School of Music. He completed his Master's degree in conducting at the Peabody Conservatory of the John's Hopkins University under Frederik Prausnitz, followed by further studies under Otakar Trhlik at the Janacek Academy of Music (Czech Republic) and his mentor Sir Colin Davis in London. [1/2008]

 

■ Management (Japan): Million Concert, Co. Ltd.
Tel. +81-(0)3-3501-5638 Fax. +81-(0)3-3501-5620

E-mail: classic@millionconcert.co.jp
http://www.millionconcert.co.jp

♪ Hideaki Hirai’s Official Website: http://www.hideaki-hirai.com