Free Event at Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima: Violin & Cello Duo Concert "A Blissful Moment Woven by the Resonance of Strings"

Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima (Naka-ku, Hiroshima City / General Manager Toshiyuki Muro) will host a free music event, "Violin & Cello Duo Concert ~A Blissful Moment Woven by the Resonance of Strings~," on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at the 1st-floor "Chapel Lieu Vert," with the aim of contributing to the local community and promoting culture. Chapel Lieu Vert [URL] https://www.rihga.co.jp/hiroshima/event/chapel-luvert-concert-202608/ This event offers live performances by musicians with ties to Hiroshima, which can be enjoyed for free and without prior reservation. For the 17th installment, we are pleased to welcome the duo "Kurinoki Music," an internationally active string duo based in Austria and the Czech Republic, who also performed at our 12th event in July 2025. The duo consists of Sakura Ito on violin and Gustav Wöcher on cello. The program features a selection of pieces primarily by composers from the Eastern European and Russian cultural spheres, highlighting their captivating ethnic rhythms and lyrical melodies. The repertoire is chosen to showcase the transparent high notes of the violin and the deep, warm low tones of the cello, creating a musical dialogue that feels like a conversation. This event is suitable for families with young children, allowing them to attend without concern. Please enjoy a relaxing moment enveloped in classical music at "Chapel Lieu Vert," selected as one of Japan's beautiful chapels. "Violin & Cello Duo Concert ~A Blissful Moment Woven by the Resonance of Strings~" Overview [Venue] 1st Floor, Chapel Lieu Vert [Date and Time] Sunday, August 2, 2026 11:00 AM ~ 5:30 PM ~ (Performance Duration: Approx. 1 hour) [Concert Title] Violin & Cello Duo Concert ~A Blissful Moment Woven by the Resonance of Strings~ [Performers] Sakura Ito Gustav Wöcher [Program] J. Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 5* / P.I. Tchaikovsky: Waltz of the Flowers* / M. Skoryk: Melody* / R.M. Glière: From "8 Pieces for Violin and Cello" etc. *Program subject to change. *Arranged by Gustav Wöcher. [Admission Fee] Free viewing (Free admission / No reservation required) [Seating Capacity] Maximum 100 seats *Photos are for illustrative purposes. *Photography, recording, and filming during the performance are strictly prohibited. *Doors open approximately 20-30 minutes before the performance. *Please refrain from eating or drinking inside the chapel. [Performer Profiles] Sakura Ito (Violin) Graduated from Hyogo Prefectural Tatsuno High School. Was a member of Yutaka Sado and the Super Kids Orchestra, serving as concertmistress in the 2010 academic year. After studying at Toho Gakuen University, she entered the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in the Czech Republic in 2014, studied under Prof. F. Novotný, and completed her bachelor's degree. During this time, she studied under Prof. R. Kussl at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna for one year under the EU Erasmus program. She graduated with honors from the Master's program at the Linz Bruckner University Orchestra Academy. Since 2023, she has been enrolled in the Master's program in Chamber Music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Since 2018, as an academy student of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, she has performed on tours worldwide and at the Prague Spring International Music Festival. She was involved in the Tchaikovsky Project led by Chief Conductor S. Bychkov and participated in CD recordings. Currently, she serves as Associate Principal Second Violinist of the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra in the Czech Republic. She has also been a permanent member of the Liechtenstein Symphony Orchestra since 2017. Gustav Wöcher (Cello & Arrangement) Born into a musical family in the western Austrian state of Vorarlberg, he began playing the cello at age 7 and the piano at age 11. He entered the University of Music and Performing Arts Mozarteum Salzburg in 2013, where he studied cello and piano, graduating with a bachelor's degree. In 2023, he also obtained a bachelor's degree in education from the same university. Since 2023, he has been enrolled in the Master's program in Chamber Music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, which he will complete with top honors in 2025. He is further honing his skills as a post-graduate student. He has won numerous awards in music competitions within the EU, as well as the Inoue Award at the 16th Viva Hall Cello Competition. He currently serves as Principal Cellist of the Liechtenstein Symphony Orchestra and is a permanent member of the Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra. He also composes and arranges music, with his works having received awards and broadcast performances. He is highly regarded for his teaching, serving as a lecturer at Austrian music schools and a judge for domestic Austrian competitions. He is fluent in multiple languages, having independently learned five languages in addition to his native German, including Japanese. Since last autumn, he has launched a YouTube channel, "Gus Cello Lessons," in Japanese. Kurinoki Music Kurinoki Music is a string duo formed in the summer of 2023, consisting of violinist Sakura Ito and cellist Gustav Wöcher, primarily active in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Japan. Their motto is: "We make music for humanity." While working as professional orchestral musicians in Europe, they consistently focus on social contribution through music, striving to make high-quality music more accessible. About Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima Its predecessor was the Shin Hiroshima Hotel, which opened in 1955 as the first hotel in Hiroshima Prefecture. It is a prestigious hotel that has welcomed distinguished guests from Japan and abroad, including heads of state and royalty. Located in the heart of Hiroshima City, it boasts views of the surrounding greenery and overlooks two World Heritage sites (Atomic Bomb Dome and Miyajima). We promise a comfortable stay with hospitality cultivated through history. Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima TEL: (082) 502-1121 (Main) HP: https://www.rihga.co.jp/hiroshima LINE Account: https://lin.ee/BN3eFz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rihgaroyalhotelhiroshima Keywords: