Gunma Symphony Orchestra
The Gunma Symphony Orchestra ( Japanese 群 馬 交響 楽 団 , Gunma Kōkyō Gakudan ; short: 群 響 , Gunkyō ) is a professional Japanese symphony orchestra headquartered in Takasaki , Gunma Prefecture . It is a regular member of the Japanese Orchestra Association . The current musical director is Naoto Ōtomo , guest conductor Martin Turnovský , honorary conductor Ken Takaseki .
overview
The orchestra was founded in 1945 as the "Takasaki Civic Orchestra" ( 高崎 市民 オ ー ケ ス ト ラ , Takasaki Shimin Ōkesutora ) and renamed the "Gunma Philharmonic Orchestra" a year later. In 1947 it achieved the status of a professional orchestra, the legal form of which was transformed into a foundation with legal capacity in 1949. The name the orchestra still bears today was given in 1963. Since the “Gunma Musci Center” was built in 1961 with the support of the townspeople, it has also been the main venue for the orchestra.
In 1963 there were disagreements between the orchestra's board of directors and the musicians, as a result of which 21 of the 32 musicians submitted their resignation. The conflict was ultimately resolved by the resignation of the orchestra board, who was also mayor of Takasaki. In 1968, at the request of the prefecture, the orchestra played the “Gunma Prefecture Song”, the prefectural song set individually for each Japanese prefecture, which is still broadcast on the local television station when it begins and ends.
Former conductors
- 1946: Naotada Yamamoto
- 1949: Yoshijiru Koike
- 1961: Masao Kai
- 1963: Hans Hörner
- 1968: Shinji Tōyama
- 1974: Ario Ban
- 1978: Kōtarō Satō
- 1981: Kōji Toyoda
- 1987: Yukinori Tezuka
- 1993: Ken Takaseki
- 2010: Ryūsuke Numajiri
- 2013: Naoto Ōtomo
Web links
- About Gunma Symphony Orchestra. Gunma Symphony Orchestra, 2011, accessed on December 14, 2014 (English, website of the Gunma Symphony Orchestra).
Individual evidence
- ↑ Conductors. (No longer available online.) Gunma Symphony Orchestra, 2011, archived from the original on December 19, 2014 ; accessed on December 14, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Profiles - Gunma Symphony Orchestra. (No longer available online.) Gunma Symphony Orchestra, 2011, archived from the original on December 19, 2014 ; accessed on December 14, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
