Germany-based violinist Sayako Kusaka will perform in Japan in December with a German chamber orchestra that she leads.
Kusaka is the first concertmaster of the distinguished Konzerthausorchester Berlin. She is also a special guest concertmaster with the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra (YNSO).
Her experience as the leader of the Konzerthaus Chamber Orchestra -- formed by members of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin -- backs up her diverse musical activities.
In recent years, Kusaka has had more opportunities to perform in Japan than before. On July 10, she effortlessly adapted to Eliahu Inbal's dynamic conducting of Mahler's Symphony No. 5 during the German orchestra's tour of Japan.
On Oct. 15, Kusaka appeared with the YNSO as concertmaster, using her rich tones to support Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, which was passionately conducted by Yuri Temirkanov. In March next year, she will again perform with the YNSO, this time performing Richard Strauss' symphonic poem "Ein Heldenleben," which has many solo parts for the concertmaster.
According to Kusaka, orchestras in Japan and Germany are rather different in their musical characteristics. "Japanese orchestras tend to practice solidly in advance and can deftly negotiate the sounds with each other, whereas German orchestras have a strong desire to spontaneously make music," she said.
The Konzerthausorchester Berlin has successfully gone through generational changes. "The orchestra retains the seriousness of the former East Germany, but it's also starting to acquire lightness and sophisticated aspects," she said.
In 2009, selected members of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin formed the chamber orchestra, which has no conductor. Kusaka has been the ensemble's leader from the start. Her job with the chamber orchestra is "the same as that of a conductor," she said -- she studies each work the ensemble plays in advance to establish solid ideas about it, gives instructions to the members and leads their discussions.
At the forthcoming concerts in Japan, the ensemble will perform Grieg's String Quartet, which Kusaka arranged for a chamber orchestra. "Grieg learned music in Germany, so his music has a solid form," she said of the great Norwegian composer. "His music also has delightful variety. There are folk elements, too, and you also feel the Nordic serenity in certain parts."
The work is included on the chamber orchestra's CD commemorating its 10th anniversary, which will be released in December on the b-sharp label.
Kusaka, who has also enjoyed a stellar career as a soloist, devotes herself to both solo and ensemble activities.
"Until I went to Germany, I had no interest in orchestras," she said in a surprising remark.
She then hit a wall. She knew only violin music, which made her uneasy. Her worries were solved when she broadened the range of her activities.
"The joy of making music with other musicians is bigger than the joy of playing on my own. When a performance goes really well, I don't want the music to end. If there's one concert in a year that makes me feel that way, that's great," she said.
Ten years have now passed since the chamber orchestra was formed, and Kusaka feels that she has changed as well. "In the beginning, I was too preoccupied with myself, but now I've come to think about what we should all do to improve ourselves," she said.
In April next year, Kusaka will start a music festival in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, where she lived up through her junior high school days. She will invite musician friends to join her at the event, which will feature chamber concerts for three days at a church in the city.
"I've been nurturing a wish to leave something behind for the future," she said. "I want to create opportunities for people to appreciate the real thing, if only a little."
Kusaka hopes that the festival will become rooted in the area and include educational programs as well.
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