Location
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ARION-EDO FOUNDATION
OT Bldg.2F,1-46-9,Tomigaya,Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0063 JAPAN
TEL : 03-5465-0755 FAX : 03-5465-0766
e-mail : info@arion-edo.org
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Establishment
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September,1985
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Mission
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1. Award and support young promising musicians
2. Organize and sponsor music festival
3. Organize and sponsor concerts and lectures regarding music
4. Hold cultural exchange with other countries
5. Undertake other projects necessary to achieve the purpose of the Foundation
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The Story Behind
Arion-Edo Foundation
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More than a century has passed since Occidental Music began to be heard in Japan.
Today, many famous orchestras, operas and soloists from all over the world come to perform in many major cities in Japan. At first glance, these cities appear to be music centers, on par with such cities as New York, London and Paris.
Upon closer observation, however, admission fees to performances featuring major artists from abroad are often quite exorbitant as compared with European or American standards. Other musicians, talented and highly regarded worldwide, are often not as appreciated as they should be simply because they are not well-known in Japan.
On the home front, many outstanding musicians from Japan, the fruits of gifted children education programs, which flowered in the post-war period, are active worldwide. Yet in Japan itself, the present musical environment is not mature enough to help them further their musical quality.
This Foundation, incorporating the opinions of artists, is dedicated to promoting international musical exchange based upon a truly equal footing. Through our activities we hope to further deepen the sense of solidarity between musicians and the musical audience.
In light of the present situation in Japan in which sight of the cultural significance of music tends to be lost, nothing will be more rewarding if we can create a bridge between music and the world supports it, and help develop music culture.
Arion-Edo Foundation, President
Kyoko EDO
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The Origin of the Name Arion-Edo Foundation
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Arion is the name of a Greek poet of the sixth century B.C. Born in Lesbos, he served under the tyrant Periander, and is credited for the completion of the Ode to Dionysos dithyramb(dithyrambos,ancient hymn for Bacchus) in the form of a chorus piece. He also traveled to Sicily where, according to legend in Greek mythology, he won a musical competition. On his way back to Corinth, he was assaulted by the sailors aboard his ship who were after this prizes and prize money he had received for his music. Arion then pleads with the sailors to let him sing one last song before he dies. While playing his lyre, the dolphins gathered, enchanted by his music. After he finished, he was thrown unmercifully into the sea, but the dolphins who had been so pleased by his music rode him on their backs to shore, saving his life.
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Personal History of
Kyoko Edo
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[ Kyoko Edo, President of Arion-Edo Foundation ]
After having graduated from Toho Gakuen Senior High School of Music majoring in the piano, she entered into Conservatoire National Superiuer de Musique de Paris under the patronage of French Government, from which she graduated in 1960 with the Premiere Prix of the piano and chamber music.
After the graduation, she performed with symphony orchestras of Chicago, Detroit and Toronto in north America, as well as with the Radio France Symphony Orchestra, Toulouse City Symphony Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra, the ParisWind Quartet, and so on in Europe. She also participated in the Saint Emilion Music Festival, the Chartres Music Festival in France, etc.
She founded the Arion-Edo Foundation, of which she has been president ever since its inception in 1985. Since the same year, she has been artistically directing the Tokyo Summer Festival every year up to the present.
She also served as a judge for the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1986, "George Enescu" International Music Competition in Romania in 1991, "le Concours International de Long-Tibaoud", the International Music Competition of Japan in 1995,Geneva International Music Competition in 2001, and so on.
"Officier dans l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres" was conferred on Kyoko Edo by the French Government in 1998.
In 1999, she received the 1998 Tokyo Citizens' Honorary Award for Culture from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
In 2006 she was awarded by the Japanese Ministry of Culture for the promotion of the Arts. Besides her activities for the Arion-Edo Foundation, Ms. Edo's activities also include the artistic direction of the Amber Hall in Kuji and the musical direction of the Phoenix Hall in Osaka.
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