Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra embarks on Japanese tour

The Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra with their chief conductor Petr Popelka has left on a two-week tour of Japan. They are set to perform six concerts in five cities across the country, starting in Osaka on Saturday. Ahead of their departure, I caught up with the orchestra’s director Jakub Čížek and I first asked him about the preparations for such a major tour:

“Usually, it takes two or three years before a planned tour takes place, but this time it took even longer, because of the Covid break. And finally, after some postponements, we are setting off to Japan in 2024, which also happens to be the year of Czech music, so we can celebrate music there!”

The Japanese are known as big admirers of Czech music. Which composes a particularly popular there?

Jakub Čížek|Photo: archive of Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra

“I believe this love of Czech music is due to their education, especially Dvořák and Smetana. Vltava from Smetana’s cycle My Country is very popular in Japan. So we are of course going to perform these compositions, the entire cycle My Country by Smetana and also the New World Symphony by Antonín Dvořák, as well as his violin and cello concertos.”

So will it be exclusively Czech music on the programme?

“Yes, exactly.”

The orchestra will be accompanied on stage by two leading Japanese soloists – cellist Haruma Sato and violinist Fumiaki Miura. Can you tell us a bit more about them?

Photo: Khalil Baalbaki, Czech Radio

“They both are very young. Haruma Sato is only 26 and Fumiaki Miura is 31. Fumiaki is perhaps more famous of the two. He has appeared already with the Los Angeles Philharmonic or Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and he also performed with radio orchestras from Germany. So he has already launched his international career as a soloist.

“Haruma Sato is still very young and he is the first Japanese winner of the famous ARD music competition in Munich in 2019. So we are looking forward to performing with them for the first time in Japan.”

Japan is known for its state-of-the-art concert halls. Which venue are you particularly looking forward to visiting?

“The Suntory Hall in Tokyo is probably the most famous concert hall in Japan and one of the most attractive and best concert halls in the whole world, so I am sure that all the musicians are looking forward to being there again.

“The acoustics work not only for the audience but also for the musicians. I think they can hear each other much better than for example here in the Rudolfinum, in the old concert hall. But also the other venues, such as the Aichi prefecture Art Theatre in Nagoya or the Symphony Hall in Osaka are really exclusive in terms of acoustics.”

The Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra in the Tokio Suntory Hall 24.6.2018|Photo: Jakub Čížek, archive of Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra

Finally, what would you say is the most challenging thing about international tours such as this one in Japan? Is it the logistics or the fact that the musicians are constantly on the road? What would you say is the most difficult aspect?

“I would say that for the production team, the most challenging things actually happen before the concert tour gets underway. As you mentioned, it is mainly the logistics, getting the visas and the permissions to load all the boxes and transfer them to Japan.

“It’s not only about people, it’s also about the music instruments. There are 82 people going there and almost all the big instruments are transported by cargo.

“So this is a very challenging thing for the production team and so is the whole stay in Japan, where they have to make sure everybody is in the right place at the right time.

“For me as the orchestra manager, and probably also for the chief conductor and artistic director Petr Popelka, it would be to establish or re-establish our position in Japan and to have a chance to return there again in two or three years’ time.”