Kenshiro Sakairi: As a Conductor and a Corporate Employee

2018/08/29

I first had a vague dream of becoming a conductor when I was six years old. It started when I begged my parents to buy me a bi-weekly classical music magazine that came with a CD supplement; I was shocked by how much a performance could change depending on the conductor, even for the same piece of music. After passing the middle school entrance exams and entering Keio Futsubu School, that vague dream quickly became a reality. In my first year at Keio Futsubu School, I received introductory conducting lessons from Mr. Bon Fujisaki, who came as a lecturer for the "Meji-haruka Class" (a program where active graduates are invited to teach). For my summer research project (Labor Exhibition), I spent three years researching my favorite composers and conductors, and I was able to learn conducting from Mr. Ken-ichiro Kobayashi, whom I interviewed as part of that project.

Afterward, I considered taking entrance exams for a music school, but a high school mentor advised me that "if you aim to be a musician, you should deepen your knowledge with a broad perspective, not just in music," so I decided to go to university. My four years at university became an irreplaceable time; while studying in the Faculty of Economics, I also took philosophy in the Faculty of Letters and joined the Humanities Research Society in the Faculty of Law. Furthermore, my close relationships with musicians from Keio University were invaluable. Performing with flutist Yuki Koyama, serving as an assistant to conductor Sachio Fujioka, and performing as many as nine concertos with pianist Izumi Tateno have become the deepest musical experiences of my life.

After graduation, I worked at Pia Corporation, where I considered how to make events mutually beneficial by taking a bird's-eye view of the perspectives of event planners, fans, and artists. Later, I was seconded to the Japan Sports Agency. There, I think about how to popularize sports, gain fans, and build partnerships with various companies. People often think that a "dual-wielding" approach to music and work is difficult, but being involved in the development of entertainment through my work is an important "two wheels of a cart" for me.

Currently, I have formed and am active with two orchestras. One is the Kawasaki Chamber Orchestra, which brings together up-and-coming professional Japanese players. The other is the Tokyo Juventus Philharmonic, which I formed with friends during my university days; although they are amateurs, the sound produced after practicing for over three months with friends who love music and their instruments is truly unique. This year marks the 10th anniversary of its founding, and on September 16, we will challenge Mahler's greatest masterpiece, the "Symphony of a Thousand," as a commemorative concert at Muza Kawasaki.