 |
| |
Seiji
Yokokawa was born in Tokyo. He studied clarinet under Toshio
Asai, Takaoki Hosono, Jacques Lancelot, Ulysse Delecluse, Walter
Boeykens, and Guy Deplus and chamber music with Reine Flachot
and Pierre Pierlot. He began study at the Conservatoire National
de Region de Rouen and the Conservatoire National Superieur
de musique de Paris in 1968. He graduated from both institutions
receiving the Premier Prix and began work as a professional
performer in France.
Returning Japan, he became principal clarinetist of the Tokyo
Philharmonic Orchestra. He is presently principal clarinetist
of the NHK Symphony Orchestra. In addition to appearances as
soloist at the NHK Symphony subscription concerts, he performs
with other major orchestras of Japan and has collaborated with
Tadaaki Otaka, Yuzo Toyama, Jean-Baptiste Mari, Otmar Suitner,
Herbert Blomstedt, Jean Fournet, and Philippe Entremont among
others. He has also appeared abroad at the invitation of the
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the KBS Symphony Orchestra.
His chamber music appearances in Japan have included performances
at music festivals and concerts in Japan with such renowned
artists as Wolfgang Sawallisch, Henriette Puig-Roger, Yo-Yo
Ma, Regis Pasquier, Maurice Bourgue, Pierre-Laurent Aimard and
Pascal Roge. His 2001 recording of Brahms clarinet sonatas with
pianist Alfred Prinz (BMG Funhouse) was named as one of the
best recordings that year by the magazine Rekodo Geijutsu (Recording
Art). In the fall of 2002 he served as Advisor and Music Planner
for the first Karuizawa Chamber Music Festival, featuring members
of the NHK Symphony Orchestra.
In 1988, he was awarded the Second Global "Encouragement
Prize". He was invited to be a member of the jury of the
1991 & 1997 Toulon International Competition in France,
and the 1997 Geneva International Competition in Switzerland.
In 1998, he was invited to the Pablo Casals Festival of Prades
in France.
Seiji Yokokawa is also composer of the work for unaccompanied
clarinet, "Un Miroir Casse."
Presently he serves as the principal clarinetist of the NHK
Symphony Orchestra,a director of Narashino Bunka Hall, an official
instrument tester for Buffet Crampon of Paris and an official
reed tester for Rico International of Los Angeles, California.
He also gives masterclasses for the Kunitachi College of Music
and the Shobi Conservatory. |
|
|
|