Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall: Pre-event for the historic "44th Yokohama International Piano Concert Invitation," a piano festival born in Yokohama, to be held at Yokohama City Hall Atrium. Featuring performances by world-class pianists!
Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall will hold a pre-event at the Yokohama City Hall Atrium ahead of the historic "44th Yokohama International Piano Concert Invitation." Renowned Japanese pianists Akiko Ebi and Kotaro Fukuma will introduce the main concert's appeal and give live performances.
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(Top left) Akiko Ebi, (Top right) Kotaro Fukuma ©KoutarouWashizaki, (Bottom) Yokohama City Hall Atrium
A pre-event will be held on Monday, June 8th, at the Yokohama City Hall Atrium, ahead of the "44th Yokohama International Piano Concert Invitation" to be held at Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall Main Hall on Saturday, November 7, 2026.
The event speakers are Akiko Ebi and Kotaro Fukuma. These two leading Japanese pianists, who also served as planning committee members for selecting the performers for the main concert, will introduce the charm and highlights of the four young pianists performing in November.
At the end of the event, live piano performances by Akiko Ebi and Kotaro Fukuma are also planned. Please enjoy the exquisite live performances by these two artists, who continue to be active on the front lines of the music world.
Experience a preview of the November concert's appeal!
Talk & Supreme Live Performance by Two Masters: A Pre-event to Anticipate the Concert's Appeal
Ahead of the "44th Yokohama International Piano Concert Invitation" on November 7th, a pre-event will be held on Monday, June 8th, at the Yokohama City Hall Atrium.
The event will feature Akiko Ebi, chairperson of the planning committee and a judge at the Chopin International Piano Competition since its 17th edition (2015), and Kotaro Fukuma, who is celebrating his 20th anniversary of his Japan debut and continues to perform actively both domestically and internationally. Both are members of the planning committee for this concert.
These two pianists, active on the front lines and responsible for selecting the performers, will explain the appeal of the artists and the highlights of their respective performances. This includes introducing Ariel Lani and Dmitry Yudin, who will be visiting Japan for the first time, offering an early glimpse into their unique personalities.
Furthermore, a recorded performance by Yuimeka Nakagawa, one of the November performers, will be reproduced using YAMAHA's automatic performance technology "Disklavier™." You can experience a performance that faithfully reproduces touch and pedal work, as if the artist herself were present.
Finally, piano performances by Akiko Ebi and Kotaro Fukuma are also scheduled. Please enjoy the exquisite live performances by these world-renowned pianists.
This piano festival boasts over 40 years of history in Yokohama. Experience its charm early with splendid speakers!
■ Project Overview
Name: The 44th Yokohama International Piano Concert Invitation Pre-event
Date & Time: Monday, June 8, 2026, 12:15 PM - 1:00 PM
Venue: Yokohama City Hall Atrium (Yokohama City, Naka-ku, Honcho 6-50-10, 1F Atrium)
Performers: Yokohama International Piano Concert Planning Committee
Akiko Ebi (Planning Committee Chairperson, Pianist), Kotaro Fukuma (Pianist)
Moderator: Satoshi Asaoka
Admission: Free
Content:
- Talk by Akiko Ebi and Kotaro Fukuma
(History and purpose of this project, introduction to the performers and highlights of the 44th concert)
- Video message from Yuimeka Nakagawa, performer of the 44th concert
- Automatic performance by YAMAHA Disklavier™
- Piano performance by Akiko Ebi and Kotaro Fukuma
Contact: Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall Project Planning Group ☎045(682)2020
(Phone 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM *Excluding closing days and maintenance days)
Organizer: Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall (Yokohama Arts Foundation)
Co-organizer: Yokohama City
Planning: Yokohama International Piano Concert Planning Committee
Sponsor: Yamaha Corporation
Support: Piano Teachers' National Association of Japan (PTNA)
What is the International Piano Festival "Yokohama International Piano Concert Invitation"?
The "Yokohama International Piano Concert Invitation" began in 1982 at the suggestion of the late Yuko Yamaoka, an internationally active pianist. Inheriting Ms. Yamaoka's strong passion to "nurture the world's pianists," Akiko Ebi has served as the planning committee chairperson since the 29th concert in 2010, making it one of the world's few historic concerts.
Since its inception, it has continuously introduced promising young talents, with over 200 up-and-coming pianists from around the world having performed.
Many of them are making great strides both domestically and internationally, such as Keigo Mukawa (41st), Aimi Kobayashi (40th), Shiori Kuwahara (39th), and Mao Fujita (37th). From overseas, renowned pianists like Jaden Izik-Dzurko (41st), winner of the 2024 Leeds International Piano Competition, Kate Liu (39th), and Alexander Gadjiev (38th) have also appeared.
Performers are selected through open recruitment and screening from around the world, under the conditions of (1) being under 35 years old regardless of nationality, and (2) having won at least two awards in competitions affiliated with the World Federation of International Music Competitions in principle.
Selected by the planning committee's rigorous screening.
Keywords:
A pre-event will be held on Monday, June 8th, at the Yokohama City Hall Atrium, ahead of the "44th Yokohama International Piano Concert Invitation" to be held at Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall Main Hall on Saturday, November 7, 2026.
The event speakers are Akiko Ebi and Kotaro Fukuma. These two leading Japanese pianists, who also served as planning committee members for selecting the performers for the main concert, will introduce the charm and highlights of the four young pianists performing in November.
At the end of the event, live piano performances by Akiko Ebi and Kotaro Fukuma are also planned. Please enjoy the exquisite live performances by these two artists, who continue to be active on the front lines of the music world.
Experience a preview of the November concert's appeal!
Talk & Supreme Live Performance by Two Masters: A Pre-event to Anticipate the Concert's Appeal
Ahead of the "44th Yokohama International Piano Concert Invitation" on November 7th, a pre-event will be held on Monday, June 8th, at the Yokohama City Hall Atrium.
The event will feature Akiko Ebi, chairperson of the planning committee and a judge at the Chopin International Piano Competition since its 17th edition (2015), and Kotaro Fukuma, who is celebrating his 20th anniversary of his Japan debut and continues to perform actively both domestically and internationally. Both are members of the planning committee for this concert.
These two pianists, active on the front lines and responsible for selecting the performers, will explain the appeal of the artists and the highlights of their respective performances. This includes introducing Ariel Lani and Dmitry Yudin, who will be visiting Japan for the first time, offering an early glimpse into their unique personalities.
Furthermore, a recorded performance by Yuimeka Nakagawa, one of the November performers, will be reproduced using YAMAHA's automatic performance technology "Disklavier™." You can experience a performance that faithfully reproduces touch and pedal work, as if the artist herself were present.
Finally, piano performances by Akiko Ebi and Kotaro Fukuma are also scheduled. Please enjoy the exquisite live performances by these world-renowned pianists.
This piano festival boasts over 40 years of history in Yokohama. Experience its charm early with splendid speakers!
■ Project Overview
Name: The 44th Yokohama International Piano Concert Invitation Pre-event
Date & Time: Monday, June 8, 2026, 12:15 PM - 1:00 PM
Venue: Yokohama City Hall Atrium (Yokohama City, Naka-ku, Honcho 6-50-10, 1F Atrium)
Performers: Yokohama International Piano Concert Planning Committee
Akiko Ebi (Planning Committee Chairperson, Pianist), Kotaro Fukuma (Pianist)
Moderator: Satoshi Asaoka
Admission: Free
Content:
- Talk by Akiko Ebi and Kotaro Fukuma
(History and purpose of this project, introduction to the performers and highlights of the 44th concert)
- Video message from Yuimeka Nakagawa, performer of the 44th concert
- Automatic performance by YAMAHA Disklavier™
- Piano performance by Akiko Ebi and Kotaro Fukuma
Contact: Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall Project Planning Group ☎045(682)2020
(Phone 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM *Excluding closing days and maintenance days)
Organizer: Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall (Yokohama Arts Foundation)
Co-organizer: Yokohama City
Planning: Yokohama International Piano Concert Planning Committee
Sponsor: Yamaha Corporation
Support: Piano Teachers' National Association of Japan (PTNA)
What is the International Piano Festival "Yokohama International Piano Concert Invitation"?
The "Yokohama International Piano Concert Invitation" began in 1982 at the suggestion of the late Yuko Yamaoka, an internationally active pianist. Inheriting Ms. Yamaoka's strong passion to "nurture the world's pianists," Akiko Ebi has served as the planning committee chairperson since the 29th concert in 2010, making it one of the world's few historic concerts.
Since its inception, it has continuously introduced promising young talents, with over 200 up-and-coming pianists from around the world having performed.
Many of them are making great strides both domestically and internationally, such as Keigo Mukawa (41st), Aimi Kobayashi (40th), Shiori Kuwahara (39th), and Mao Fujita (37th). From overseas, renowned pianists like Jaden Izik-Dzurko (41st), winner of the 2024 Leeds International Piano Competition, Kate Liu (39th), and Alexander Gadjiev (38th) have also appeared.
Performers are selected through open recruitment and screening from around the world, under the conditions of (1) being under 35 years old regardless of nationality, and (2) having won at least two awards in competitions affiliated with the World Federation of International Music Competitions in principle.
Selected by the planning committee's rigorous screening.
Keywords: