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Japanese Professional Orchestras Yearbook
Japanese Professional Orchestras Yearbook 2024
Program of Subscription Concerts (Full Members, 1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024)
The backnumbers (2008～2023) can be accessed from here.
Annalistic Report
Access the analistic reports of all member orchestras from here.
Orchestra Performances for Children: Impact Survey
Orchestra Performances for Children: Impact Survey (JAPANESE)
Visualizing the Power of Music－The Making of this Pamphlet (ENGLISH)
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Full Members（27）
Associate Members（13）
Chiba Symphony Orchestra
The Geidai Philharmonia Orchestra, Tokyo
Tokyo Universal Philharmonic Orchestra
Aichi Chamber Orchestra
Kyoto Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
Amabile Philharmonic Orchestra
The College Operahouse Orchestra
Telemann Chamber Orchestra
Kobe City Chamber Orchestra
Nara Philharmonic Orchestra
Okayama Philharmonic Orchestra
Seto Philharmonic Orchestra
Nagasaki OMURA Chamber Ensemble
International Events
Asia Orchestra Week
Asia Orchestra Week 2024 on YouTube!
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Asia-Pacific Region Orchestras Summit
History of the Asia Pacific Region Orchestras Summit
Past Events
Promising Musicians with Orchestra
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Orchestra's Day
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About Us
Association of Japanese Symphony Orchestras
Objectives
The objective of this Association is to promote and popularize symphonic orchestral music performed by professional orchestras, with the aim of improving the artistic and technical standards of orchestras in Japan. The Association aims to contribute to the development of a culturally rich and sustainable society, and to the enhancement and advancement of the cultural and artistic fields of Japan.
Activities
The Association shall conduct the following activities in order to achieve the said objectives:
1. Conducting research and study, collecting materials and information, and sharing such information on symphonic orchestral music and orchestras;
2. Planning and organizing concerts, seminars, and other events to promote and popularize symphonic orchestral music;
3. Popularizing symphonic orchestral music among the youth;
4. International exchange on symphonic orchestral music;
5. Projects that contribute to the health and enriching lives of people through music; and,
6. Other necessary activities to achieve the objectives of this Association.
* Excerpts from the bylaws (revised on June 17th, 2024) of the Association of Japanese Symphony Orchestras.
History
The history of symphonic orchestral culture in Japan goes back to the early 20th century, around the era of what we categorize as ‘Meiji’ when the nation started to immerse itself in Western culture. Thanks to the hardworking forerunners who inherited this newborn culture with their tremendous efforts, we now celebrate having 40 professional orchestras in Japan, which annually provide more than 3,900 concerts.
Although the cultural growth was interrupted by the disastrous events of World War II, once the country regained its composure, Japan was ready for the time to flourish as a cultural nation. Several professional orchestras were born one after the other throughout the country; the Agency for Cultural Affairs was established anew under the Ministry of Education, Science Sports and Culture, and they began supporting the activities of those professional orchestras. It was a natural phenomenon to see the orchestras in Tokyo and elsewhere come into operation to give concerts.
Tokyo Orchestra Club was formed in 1964 and reorganized in 1978 as the Japanese Symphony Orchestras Liaison Conference. The organization primarily offered opportunities to the administration staff working at orchestras in the Tokyo area to connect and share their ideas on various issues they faced. As for the orchestras situated outside of Tokyo, the Association of Regional Orchestras was formed in 1972. The relationship between these two institutions was deepened, and the organization of the National Orchestral Association was unanimously approved in a joint meeting in 1989. In July 1990, the Association of Japanese Symphony Orchestras (AJSO) was formed as a private organization by NAGAOKA Minoru as Chairman of the Board and the officials from 18 orchestras as Directors.
AJSO conducts research and studies on orchestral administration, offers education for people associated with symphonic orchestral music, provides opportunities for international exchange, and arranges other highly public programs. Recognizing the achievements in such activities, the Association was approved as an aggregate corporation by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (where the Agency for Cultural Affairs belongs) on January 31, 1995. We also host seminars on arts management, including the first-ever international conference, “Orchestra Summit in Japan”, for orchestral administrators based in Asia in November 1997. We also presented a series of concerts called “Evening of Contemporary Orchestral Masterpieces of Japan” every year between 2000 and 2010. Since 2002, AJSO has been assigned by the Agency for Cultural Affairs to produce “Asia Orchestra Week”, where we invite acclaimed orchestras from the Asia-Pacific region and provide concerts, including the works by Asian composers.
AJSO articulates the importance of classical music in modern society and actively continues to work for the genre’s development and expansion in Japan.