SeitaroIshikawa

Born in Tokyo in 1985. Graduated from the Department of Conducting at Tokyo University of the Arts and Robert Schumann University Düsseldorf. Received the Acanthus Music Award upon graduation from Tokyo University of the Arts. Rohm Music Foundation scholarship recipient in 2011 and 2012. Semi-finalist at the German University Orchestra Conductor Competition in 2015. International Richard Wagner Society scholarship recipient in the same year. Second Prize winner at the 1st Felix Mendelssohn International Conductor Competition in 2016. His repertoire spans from Baroque to contemporary music. In Japan, he has conducted numerous sacred choral works and premiered many new compositions, earning great trust from young composers. From 2006 to 2016, he appeared annually at the Takefu International Music Festival (Music Director: Toshio Hosokawa) as conductor and pianist. Since 2009, he has organized the concert series "Tokyo Private Concert Society" and actively performed. In January 2015, at the "50th Anniversary Concert of Japan-Korea Diplomatic Normalization" at Seoul Arts Center, he was recommended by the Korean side as conductor of the first-ever joint orchestra of professional players from both countries, receiving high acclaim. In 2016, he appeared at the Suntory Foundation Summer Festival International Composer Commission Series featuring Kaija Saariaho. In 2018, he served as assistant conductor for Peter Ruzicka's new opera "Benjamin" at Hamburg State Opera, contributing to the successful world premiere. He also served as assistant conductor to the late Gerhard Bosse, and since 2013 has conducted the March subscription concerts of Kobe Chamber Orchestra as Bosse's successor. In Japan, he has conducted the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, Osaka Symphony Orchestra, Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra, Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra, and Kobe City Chamber Orchestra. Internationally, he has conducted the Korean Chamber Orchestra, WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, Neue Philharmonie Westfalen, Bergische Symphoniker, Filarmonica Dinu Lipatti Satu Mare, Mihail Jora Philharmonic Orchestra, and Swiss Boswil Ensemble, among others. He studied conducting with Yoshikazu Tanaka, Hans-Martin Schneidt, Gerhard Bosse, and Rüdiger Bohn; piano with Tatsuya Hayashi and Jura Margulis; and vocal coaching with Gerhard Michalski. Japan Arts affiliated artist. Since 2023, he has devoted himself to organizing the Tsurui Village Music Festival, the first classical music festival in Tsurui Village, Hokkaido, where he serves as Music Director.