The Saito Kinen Orchestra is a treasure that I dearly cherish, and I find it hard to believe that 2021 marks its 30th year. The Matsumoto Festival is also very important to me. I have thought often about the future of the Saito Kinen Orchestra and the festival for a while and began discussing this with everyone since last year. From this point onward, I would like everyone in the SKO to take the reins to lead SKO activities and especially the Matsumoto Festival. 

I envisioned musicians proactively being involved in deciding the conductors and programs, as the Vienna Philharmonic does. I also consulted with Mayor Gaun of Matsumoto and asked the opinions of experts, and we arrived at the decision to establish a foundation for the Saito Kinen Orchestra to strengthen its future. I hold conviction that this will connect to strengthening the future of the Matsumoto Festival as well.

When the orchestra members suggested last year that my daughter Seira be the representative, I was startled at first. But when I thought about it, she has always stayed closely alongside the orchestra and me since the initial Europe tours in the 80s. I know that she deeply cares for the orchestra like family and has greatly devoted herself for these past eleven years since I became ill. With the confidence that she will do all she can for the sake of the orchestra, I listened to her decision with delight. 

The world is facing great challenges today, but I eagerly look forward to meeting with the members of the Saito Kinen Orchestra in Matsumoto this summer for the first time in two years.