Art Encouragement Prize for Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
1 appearances
-
Edition 45 (1995) award
Kazuyoshi Akiyama
あきやま かずよし
Akiyama Kazuyoshi
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1941-01-02 （Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan）
- Died
- 2025-01-26 （Hospital (Japan)） age 84
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Tokyo, Japan (born; longtime base of activity) → Vancouver, Canada (maintained a residence)
Career
- Occupations
- Conductor, Educator
- Active Years
- 1963-2025
- Affiliations
- Tokyo Symphony Orchestra (Laureate/Conductor Emeritus), Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (Laureate; former Music Director), Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra (Permanent Laureate Conductor), Osaka Shion Wind Orchestra (Artistic Advisor), Senzoku Gakuen College of Music (Special Professor / Artistic Director)
- Influenced By
- Hideo Saito, Seiji Ozawa, Naosumi Yamamoto
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toho Gakuen School of Music / Toho Gakuen University | Faculty of Music | — | — | — | Japan |
Toho Gakuen School of Music / Toho Gakuen University
Faculty of Music
Country:
Japan
Studied conducting under Hideo Saito; also studied piano, horn and percussion
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Suntory Music Award | — | — | Suntory Foundation for Arts | 受賞 |
| 1989 | Osaka Prefectural Theater Award | — | — | Osaka Prefectural Theater | 受賞 |
| 1991 | Osaka Arts Award | — | — | Osaka Arts Promotion | 受賞 |
| 1993 | Kyoto Music Award (Grand Prize) | — | — | Kyoto Music Award Committee | 受賞 |
| 1994 | Mainichi Art Award | For activities with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra | — | The Mainichi Newspapers | 受賞 |
| 1995 | Arts Encouragement Prize (Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) | — | — | Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan) | 受賞 |
| 1996 | Mobil Music Award | For activities with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra | — | Mobil Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2001 | Order of the Purple Ribbon | — | — | Government of Japan | 受章 |
| 2007 | Kawasaki City Culture Award | — | — | Kawasaki City | 受賞 |
| 2008 | Hiroshima Citizen's Award | — | — | Hiroshima City | 受賞 |
| 2011 | Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays | — | — | Government of Japan | 受章 |
| 2014 | Person of Cultural Merit | — | — | Government of Japan (Agency for Cultural Affairs) | 顕彰 |
| 2014 | Chugoku Cultural Award | — | — | Chugoku Shimbun | 受賞 |
| 2014 | Tokushima Prefecture Special Merit Award | — | — | Tokushima Prefecture | 受賞 |
| 2015 | Watanabe Akio Music Foundation Special Prize | — | — | Watanabe Akio Music Foundation | 受賞 |
Suntory Music Award
1974
Organization:
Suntory Foundation for Arts
Result:
受賞
Osaka Prefectural Theater Award
1989
Organization:
Osaka Prefectural Theater
Result:
受賞
Osaka Arts Award
1991
Organization:
Osaka Arts Promotion
Result:
受賞
Kyoto Music Award (Grand Prize)
1993
Organization:
Kyoto Music Award Committee
Result:
受賞
Mainichi Art Award
1994
Work:
For activities with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra
Organization:
The Mainichi Newspapers
Result:
受賞
Arts Encouragement Prize (Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)
1995
Organization:
Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan)
Result:
受賞
Mobil Music Award
1996
Work:
For activities with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra
Organization:
Mobil Foundation
Result:
受賞
Order of the Purple Ribbon
2001
Organization:
Government of Japan
Result:
受章
Kawasaki City Culture Award
2007
Organization:
Kawasaki City
Result:
受賞
Hiroshima Citizen's Award
2008
Organization:
Hiroshima City
Result:
受賞
Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays
2011
Organization:
Government of Japan
Result:
受章
Person of Cultural Merit
2014
Organization:
Government of Japan (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
Result:
顕彰
Chugoku Cultural Award
2014
Organization:
Chugoku Shimbun
Result:
受賞
Tokushima Prefecture Special Merit Award
2014
Organization:
Tokushima Prefecture
Result:
受賞
Watanabe Akio Music Foundation Special Prize
2015
Organization:
Watanabe Akio Music Foundation
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Bibliography
- By the way, Who Did I Conduct Today? (Memoir, co-authored)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Clear, precise conducting rooted in the Saito methodCareful, structure-focused interpretations of repertoire
- Recurring Motifs
- Championing contemporary works and leading Japanese premieresBuilding long-term relationships with regional orchestras
Health
-
Cervical spine injury (from a fall)2025-01-01 to 2025-01-23Left with sequelae in limbs; judged continuation of conducting to be difficult and announced retirement
-
Pneumonia2025-01-26Hospitalized and died of pneumonia
Legacy
He led major orchestras such as the Tokyo Symphony, Vancouver Symphony and Hiroshima Symphony, preserved and transmitted the Saito conducting method, and was known for nurturing younger conductors, fostering strong ties with regional orchestras, and promoting contemporary repertoire.
Academic Societies
- Nippon Conductor Association (former Chair)
Archives
- Tokyo Symphony Orchestra archives (related materials)
- Hirasa Office (agency archives / artist materials)
In Popular Culture
- Familiar to the general public through appearances on TV programs such as 'Daimei no nai Ongakukai'
Quotes
-
To read the composer's intention from the score and convey it with a single baton — that is the most important job of a conductor.
Source: Interview article (Yomiuri Shimbun et al.) (2024)
Trivia
- Known as a rail enthusiast; organized an 'orchestra train' pulled by a steam locomotive
- Kept an extensive model railway collection and made custom metalwork for models
- Performed with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra over 1,350 times in his career