Biography

Ensemble Kochi, Japan

Named after the performance group "KOCHI Ensemble Klang-Malerei" founded mainly by Isao Matsushita (1951-2018) in 1893, Ensemble Kochi is a chamber orchestra reorganized by Matsushita with young composers and players in 1999.
With a wide repertoire ranging from classical to contemporary music, the ensemble has been active in introducing contemporary music from Japan and other Asian countries, while it has performed at regular concerts, "Kimamani Concert (Concert in Caprice) ", "Nagano Music Festival," and "Asian Music Week in Yokohama" in Japan, as well as overseas music festivals in Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Myanmar, and the Netherlands.
The ensemble also invited masters of Asian composer’s world such as Jose Maceda, Doming Lam, to hold concerts with them where both of them gave a high evaluation.
In 2005, performed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at the "Storied Pagoda Celebration Ceremony" at the Anyoin Temple, Itabashi, Tokyo. In 2009 and 2010, performed the opera "Kentoshi (Missions to Tang China) – Abe-no Nakamaro" written by Matsushita at Genjo Sanzoin Complex of Yakushiji-temple, Nara, and received an enthusiastic response. In 2014, won the Best Performance Award at the "Asian Music Festival 2014".
In 2019, after Isao Matsushita's sudden death, the group performed his "HI-TEN-YU (Fly Heaven Play)" and other recent representative works of him in the memorial concert.
Since 2020, with Ms. Ritsuko Matsushita as the representative of the group, the ensemble aims to create music in unison with the audience.