Artistic Leader:
Azis Sadikovic
Concertmaster:
Burghard Toelke
Chef of the board:
Benjamin Müller
Chairman of finance:
Tobias Karall
E-mail: benjamin.mueller@gmx.at
URL: www.ensemblewienklang.at/www.facebook.com/ensemblewienklang/

ENSEMBLE WIEN KLANG<< PRESS RELEASE>>

Hideaki Hirai Named Principal Guest Conductor of The Ensemble Wien Klang
We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Japanese conductor, HIDEAKI HIRAI, as Principal
Guest Conductor of The Ensemble Wien Klang, beginning in 2017–18 season. His term will be five years
until July, 2022.
Hideaki Hirai wurde als neuer Erster Gastdirigent des Ensemble Wien Klang bestätigt.
Wir sind stolz den jungen und sehr talentierten japanischen Dirigenten HIDEAKI HIRAI als unseren
Ersten Gast Dirigenten vorzustellen. Mit Beginn der Saison 2017/18 wird er dieses Amt mindestens fünf
Jahre bis Juli 2022 bekleiden. Wir freuen uns auf eine aufregende und produktive Zusammenarbeit.

<BIOGRAPHY>HIDEAKI HIRAI, who has “a talent deeply ingrained in his genes” (The Den), is one of the most gifted young conductors
from Japan. He belongs to the Hirai family, famous in the classical music field in Japan. In 2013, “Maestro Hirai madea remarkable Carnegie Hall debut” (The New York Culture Examiner) with rave reviews such as “especially
impressive, dynamic, confident, justly deserving of the standing ovation” (The New York Concert Review),
conducting from the memory the Beethoven 9th Symphony with New York Festival Orchestra (NYFO). Upon a great
success, NYFO has appointed him Music Director and Conductor, starting from 2014/15 season.
In May, 2017, Maestro Hirai made a highly praised debut at prestigious Wiener Konzerthaus with Ensemble WienKlang, which unanimously appointed him Principal Guest Conductor, starting from 2017-18 season. In October, he hadsuch a rare honor to conduct his own “Ave Maria” in the official mass at St. Peter’s Basilica as well as to dedicate it toPope Francis and the Vatican City. Also, he made his debut in the season inaugural concert of Roma Tre Orchestra at
Palladium Theatre in Rome. Upon this success, Maestro Hirai will make his debut at the prestigious Rossini Theatre(Pesaro) with Rossini Symphony Orchestra in May, 2019. Since 1998, as a Co-founder, he frequently conducts the Czech
Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, now serving as Principal Guest Conductor.
Highlights in the 2012/13 season include his sensational debut at the Wiener Staatsoper, immediately followed by asuccessful return during 2013/14 season, and his successful debut in Salzburg for the Austrian premiere of his own
acclaimed opera, “Princess from the Moon”, which has been performed more than 30 times in such cities as Canberra,Prague, Anif, Los Angeles and many cities in Japan. Besides, Maestro Hirai has written two other operas: "True Love ofKomachi" and "The White Fox" which have also become very popular to enjoy many performances in Japan. In 1997
he was the first prize-winner of the Sixth International Conducting Competition in Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic).
In 2001 Mr. Hirai was chosen by Lorin Maazel as one of the ten promising conductors in Asia.
He has conducted many leading orchestras including the Cadaques Chamber Orchestra, Canberra SymphonyOrchestra, Croatian Radio-TV Symphony Orchestra, Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble
Wien Klang, Finnish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Janacek Philharmonic, Karlsbad Symphony Orchestra,Moravian Philharmonic, Pleven Philharmonic, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Roma Tre Orchestra, SilesianPhilharmonic, Sofia Sinfonietta and most of the major orchestras in Japan such as New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo
Philharmonic Orchestra, and Tokyo Symphony Orchestra as well as appeared at such festivals as Martinu Festival,
Young Prague Music Festival (Czech Rep.), Japan Festival (U.S.A.) and Martha Argherich Music Festival (Beppu,Japan).
Acknowledged as opera conductor, Maestro Hirai has been a frequent guest with the prestigious New National Theatre,
Tokyo. Following his successful debut with Mitridate and Lucio Silla (Mozart) in November 2003, Maestro Hirai wasimmediately offered re-engagements with Marriage of Figaro in April 2005 and with Serse (Handel) in January 2006.
His recent opera performances include productions of La Boheme, Carmen, Madame Butterfly, and La Traviata.
Mr. Hirai, born into a celebrated musical family, studied piano, violin and composition with his grandfather, eminent
composer Kozaburo Hirai and cello with his father, Takeichiro Hirai (www.takeichiro-hirai.com), noted cellist whom PabloCasals designated as his successor. Hideaki Hirai graduated from the University of Rochester (New York) with a Bachelor’s
degree in political science, where he studied conducting under David Effron at the Eastman School of Music. He completed
his Master’s degree in conducting at the Peabody Conservatory of the John’s Hopkins University under Frederik Prausnitz,
followed by further studies under Otakar Trhlik at the Janacek Academy of Music (Czech Republic) and his mentor Sir
Colin Davis in London.
[6/2018]<< Official Website >>: https://www.hideaki-hirai.com