Principal Conductor Kah Chun Wong C Atsushi Yamaguchi

The Japan Philharmonic Orchestra (Suginami Ward, Tokyo; Chairman: Kunio Ishizuka) will hold its 414th Masterpiece Concert on Saturday, October 24, starting at 2:00 PM at Suntory Hall. The concert will feature Mussorgsky's Suite "Pictures at an Exhibition," arranged by Principal Conductor Kah Chun Wong, with soloists invited from the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO). This is a creative and ambitious program that fuses Western orchestral sounds with traditional Chinese instruments.

□ Highlights

According to Kah Chun Wong, unlike the common Ravel arrangement, this version prioritizes the original structure of the piano piece while incorporating Chinese traditional instruments in a concerto grosso-like format, which is its most distinctive feature.

The following five traditional instrument soloists from the SCO will join the orchestral sound to create a unique "Pictures at an Exhibition":

Dizi (transverse flute): Li Qingcong

Yangqin (struck zither): Ma Huan

Huqin (bowed string instrument such as Erhu): Tan Manman

Pipa (lute): Wang Suwen

Percussion: Benjamin Woo

Wong's birthplace, Singapore, is a multi-ethnic nation where Chinese, Malay, and Indian cultures blend. To reflect his own identity in the music, he has incorporated phrases mimicking the traditional Malay hand drum "kompang" and the calls of the "Asian koel," a bird popular in Southeast Asia, into the Chinese instrument ensemble, creating a multicultural soundscape unique to Singapore.

This ambitious work was premiered with great success in front of an audience of 75,000 at the Nuremberg Klassik Open Air Festival and has been widely broadcast on the German cultural channel 3SAT and the classical music label BR-Klassik of Bayerischer Rundfunk.

In the first half of the concert, Keigo Mutsukawa will perform Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. Mutsukawa has won awards at two prestigious international competitions and is steadily advancing his career, promising a truly magnificent day.

□ Concert Overview

Concert Title: Japan Philharmonic Orchestra 414th Masterpiece Concert

Date and Time: Saturday, October 24, 2026, 14:00 start

Venue: Suntory Hall

General Ticket Sale: Tuesday, July 7

Performers:

Conductor: Kah Chun Wong [Principal Conductor]

Piano: Keigo Mutsukawa

Percussion: Benjamin Woo*

Dizi: Li Qingcong*

Yangqin: Ma Huan*

Huqin: Tan Manman*

Pipa: Wang Suwen*

Program:

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23

Mussorgsky (arr. Kah Chun Wong): Suite "Pictures at an Exhibition" *

Ticket Prices:

S Seats: ¥9,000; A Seats: ¥7,500; B Seats: ¥6,500; C Seats: ¥5,500; P Seats: ¥4,500; Gs (70+): ¥5,500; Ys (under 25): ¥2,500

□ Ticket Purchase Japan Phil Service Center ☎ 03-5378-5911 (Weekdays 10:00-17:00) e-ticket♪ https://eticket.japanphil.or.jp

Sponsorship: Elecom Co., Ltd.

Grant: Temasek Foundation

Endorsement: Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in Japan

【Upcoming Concerts Featuring Kah Chun Wong】

783rd Tokyo Regular Concert

September 11, 2026 (Fri) 19:00

September 12, 2026 (Sat) 14:00

Suntory Hall

Conductor: Kah Chun Wong [Principal Conductor]

*Schedule has been changed from the original plan.

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 60 "Leningrad"

https://japanphil.or.jp/concert/20260911/

414th Masterpiece Concert

October 24, 2026 (Sat) 14:00

Suntory Hall

Conductor: Kah Chun Wong [Principal Conductor]

Piano: Keigo Mutsukawa

Percussion: Benjamin Woo*

Dizi: Li Qingcong*

Yangqin: Ma Huan*

Huqin: Tan Manman*

Pipa: Wang Suwen*

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23

Mussorgsky (arr. Kah Chun Wong): Suite "Pictures at an Exhibition" *

https://japanphil.or.jp/concert/20261024/

415th Masterpiece Concert

November 21, 2026 (Sat) 14:00

Suntory Hall

Conductor: Kah Chun Wong [Principal Conductor]

Piano: Sir Stephen Hough

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 "Emperor"

Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78 "Organ"

General Sale: July 23 (Thu)

https://japanphil.or.jp/concert/20261121/

422nd Yokohama Regular Concert

November 22, 2026 (Sun) 15:00

Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall

Conductor: Kah Chun Wong [Principal Conductor]

Piano: Sir Stephen Hough

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 "Emperor"

Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78 "Organ"

General Sale: July 15 (Wed)

https://japanphil.or.jp/concert/20261122/

424th Yokohama Regular Concert

January 9, 2027 (Sat) 15:00

Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall

Conductor: Kah Chun Wong [Principal Conductor]

Trumpet: Hayato Kodama

Khachaturian: Suite "Masquerade"

Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major, Hob.VIIe:1

J. Strauss II: Overture to "Die Fledermaus"

J. Strauss II: Waltz "An der schönen blauen Donau," Op. 314

Ravel: "Daphnis et Chloé" Suite No. 2

General Sale: July 15 (Wed)

https://japanphil.or.jp/concert/20270109/

267th Gegeki Series

January 10, 2027 (Sun) 14:00

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre

Conductor: Kah Chun Wong [Principal Conductor]

Trumpet: Hayato Kodama

Khachaturian: Suite "Masquerade"

Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major, Hob.VIIe:1

J. Strauss II: Overture to "Die Fledermaus"

J. Strauss II: Waltz "An der schönen blauen Donau," Op. 314

Ravel: "Daphnis et Chloé" Suite No. 2

General Sale: September 16 (Wed)

https://japanphil.or.jp/concert/20270110/

787th Tokyo Regular Concert [Fri]

January 29, 2027 (Fri) 19:00

January 30, 2027 (Sat) 14:00

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre

Conductor: Kah Chun Wong [Principal Conductor]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 in C minor, WAB108

General Sale: July 15 (Wed)

https://japanphil.or.jp/concert/20270129/

425th Yokohama Regular Concert

March 27, 2027 (Sat) 15:00

Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall

Conductor: Kah Chun Wong [Principal Conductor]

Violin: Masaaki Tanokura [Solo Concertmaster]

Borodin: Overture to "Prince Igor"

Khachaturian: Violin Concerto in D minor

Mussorgsky (arr. Rimsky-Korsakov): Tone Poem "Night on Bald Mountain"

Respighi: Tone Poem "Pines of Rome"

General Sale: July 15 (Wed)

https://japanphil.or.jp/concert/20270327/

【Ticket Purchase】 Japan Phil Service Center ☎ 03-5378-5911 (Weekdays 10:00-17:00) e-ticket♪ https://eticket.japanphil.or.jp

【Inquiries】

Japan Phil Service Center Phone: 03-5378-5911 (Weekdays 10:00-17:00)

【Organizer】

Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Japan Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra

Japan Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra

Founded in June 1956. The first permanent conductor was Akio Watanabe, who was instrumental in the orchestra's establishment.

From its inception, with its wide repertoire and innovative performance style, it brought a fresh breeze to the music scene of the time, which was primarily focused on German and Austrian traditions, creating a major sensation.

This ambitious spirit continues to be inherited, and under Principal Conductor Kah Chun Wong since September 2023, the orchestra has garnered attention for its musical creations backed by originality and sincerity. Its recent high performance level and active programming have been praised as "clearly indicating the direction for Japanese orchestras in the 21st century," earning it the Music Pen Club Music Award.

With Suginami Kokaido as its home base, the orchestra aims to utilize the diverse power of music for society across all people, generations, regions, and the world, while cherishing the foundation of "warmth" and "empathy for people," with artistry and social contribution as its dual pillars.

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Event
  • Organizations: Temasek Foundation