OUR HISTORY

As to our history, we have founded our association in 1982 with the first publication of annual magazine "Mozartian"(in Japanese). It means this year 2012 is our 30th anniversary.
This first magazine "Mozartian" was epoch-making, because this was the first magazine which specialized only in Mozart in Japan. It was published by Mr. Wakamatsu, who is our current honorary Chairman, on his own, only by himself. He used his salary to publish it.
And the articles were written by the first class musicologists and artists like Messrs. Hideo Takahashi, Yoshiyuki Nagatake etc. at that time in Japan.
In February 1983, the historic first meeting took place at the cafe-bar called "Yuda" in the centre of Tokyo. The number of attendants was 28. Very small group of Mozart-Lovers.
However the number of the members has grown rather rapidly.
Fortunately in the same year, also in the city-centre, Mr. NAKAMURA opened a new building called "Harajuku Casa Mozart". Since then we started regular monthly meetings there. In 2005, because of illness of Mr. NAKAMURA, we have changed the place to the present one in Tokyo.
Our first President was Mr. Hideo Takahashi, one of the two greatest Mozartians in Japan, the other being Mr. Bin Ebisawa. We should not forget the name of the second editor since 1987 of our magazine "Mozartian", Mr. Taro Inoue, who is well known professional editor and writer, of course Mozartian accepted to be our editor. In 1991, the relationship with Associazione Mozart Italia has begun, which I will touch upon in later page.
Since 1993, Mr. Shigeo Wakamatsu became the second President. And the third President is Mr. Yoshihiro Sawada since 2010.
Mr. Wakamatsu, second President was the first person perhaps in the world who published the discography of all the pieces of Mozart in 1983(he listed as many LP's as possible available in the world.), later in 1991, he revised and updated it to include other LP's and this time CD's, too of which we are very proud. He published some other books in Japanese on Mozart including the translation of Neal ZASLOW's "Mozart's Symphonies".
In 2009, Mr. Wakamtsu has retaken the job of editor of "MOZARTIAN". He says that he published his Discography and continue to edit our quarterly magazine "MOZARTIAN" because of his gratitude to Mozart.
As for Mr. Sawada, he is studying at the moment two subjects, one on "Mozart in Paris". Because he lived in Paris for 8 years. The other, on Nannerl Mozart. As to Nannerl, he was stimulated and impressed by the marvelous story written by Ms. Rita Charbonnier, an Italian author. He found that book at the bookshop FNAC in Paris. He felt as if the book had been saying,"Read me! read me!". After that he started to have strong interest in her life, and have read 7 or 8 romans and non-fictions on Nannerl and continues his research. Now he feels that she could have become the second Mozart.

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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AMI & MOZARTIAN VEREIN

As far as the beginning of the friendly relationship between Associazione Mozart Italia and ourselves, Mozartian Verein, it was literally by chance. In 1991, in Rovereto, Mr. Arnaldo Volani, President of AMI met Mr. Kotaki, one of our members entirely by chance. And almost immediately became friends. Maybe Mozart guided these two gentlemen, we feel. After that event, some of the members of our Association have agreed to Mr. Kotaki's proposal to visit Rovereto, especially Mr. Saito, another member who happened to be a manager of a tourist agency.
And in 1993, we started our "pilgrimage" to Rovereto until 2006. In the meantime the AMI kindly visited Tokyo in 1998. After Mr. Kotaki deceased in 2008, temporarily our exchange has stopped.
However, in 2011, we wanted to restore this valuable relationship to which Arnaldo kindly agreed.

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What are the characteristics of MOZARTIAN VEREIN?

NO.1: It is an association of amateur Mozart-lovers. We are dedicated to Mozart, being united through our common appreciation and respect for Mozart's incomparable talent and especially our thankfulness towards Mozart whose music enriches our life. We are not professionals but from time to time, our observations surprise professionals. Because we listen to Mozart's music almost every day. Therefore from time to time we realize some important points.
Of course we have professional musicians as our members, too. And as advisors, we have professional musicians and musicologists like Ms. Yuko Hisamoto (Pianist) and Mr. Hideki TANABE (Musicologist). Both persons are famous Mozartians in Japan.

NO.2: For our monthly meeting, we invite first-class musicians and musicologists available in Japan, not only Japanese but also French, Austrian, German and why not Italian. But only first class people. The reason being our aspiration to deepen our knowledge about Mozart and his Music further. We have to emphasize that we certainly welcome beginners, too.

NO.3: Thanks to the Discography of Mr. Wakamatsu, many of our members have owned and listened to almost all the pieces of Mozart's LP's and CD's. The number of pieces recorded is about 750. According to Mr. Neal Zaslow, Mozart composed 835 pieces, counting one opera as one piece.

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OUR ACTIVITIES

In January 2011, we have celebrated the 300th anniversary of our Monthly Meeting.
As far as our Monthly Meeting is concerned, 70-80% are lectures by the leading musicologists on Mozart, his music or related composers etc, etc. For example, Professor Tadashi ISOYAMA, Professor Ryuichi HIGUCHI, Professor Hisao NISHIKAWA, Professor Hideki TANABE, the first class musicologists in Japan.
The rest are lecture concerts or recitals by first rated professional musicians. When Mr. Sawada became President, he invited a friend of mine, Maestro Gerard POULET, one of the greatest existing violinists in the world. He liked our association and he did his recitals for us already 3 times. He played not only Mozart but also Debussy's Violin Sonata which his father Gaston POULET played with Debussy himself at the time of very first performance of this sonata). Ms. Yuko Hisamoto, great pianist, is our regular invitee and also our advisor. And so and on.
 

ORGANIZATION

Board of Directors:
Mr. Yoshihiro SAWADA, President
Mr. Katsuo ISHIZU, Deputy President
Mr. Osamu KURASHIMA, Deputy President
Ms. Hiroko KAWAGUCHI, Deputy President
Mr. Yasuo OHNO, Director
Mr. Hiroyasu YAMAZAKI, Director and Chief Editor
Mr. Atsushi MANABE, Director
Mr. Youichi MATSUNAGA, Director
Mr. Tooru TAKAHASHI, Director
Ms. Mieko KASAJIMA, Director
Mr. Shigeo WAKAMATSU, Honorary Chairman
Mr. Tsuneo OGAWA, Auditor
Mr. Hideki TANABE, Advisor
Ms. Yuko HISAMOTO, Advisor

Committee Members:
Ms. Azusa SATOU
Ms. Keiko FURUTA
Mr. Hisafumi MIYAZAKI
Ms. Yoshiko SUMIDA
Mr. Kenji YAMADA