The origin of the project
In Dubai, “Community Concerts” were founded more than 6 years ago, to support, promote and inspire local and international artists, and provide them with a platform to showcase their talents. Initially given at the Maison des Pianos showroom in Al Quoz, these concerts were known as “Musical Fridays”. In 2022, they were renamed “Steinway Hall Dubai community concerts”, following the construction of a unique venue dedicated to classical music events. Performing on stage with a Steinway grand piano, the most prestigious pianists from all over the world come to delight the public of the United Arab Emirates - all for free -, playing Liszt, Chopin, Debussy, Mozart, Piazzolla, and many others. others… Mitsuru Yamakawa, straight from Japan, is one of these pianists who have come to enchant the Dubai music scene…
Mitsuru Yamakawa, a talented pianist
Mitsuru Yamakawa was born in Sendai, Japan. After graduating from Tokyo College of Music, he studied at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, Poland, as well as the École Normale de Musique de Paris Alfred Cortot. After obtaining his Higher Performance Diploma, he continued his studies, passed sp, Concertist diploma and brilliantly obtained the “Aufbaustudium” diploma, with honors, at the Friedrich Guida School of Music in Vienna, Austria.
Inspiring teachers
Mitsuru Yamakawa studied piano with several distinguished teachers from all over the world: the Japanese Yoshikazu Jumei and Hironao Suzuki, the Poles Ramiro Sanjines and Jerzy Romaniuk, the French Guigla
Katsarava and Michael Wladkowski, as well as the Belgian and Austrian Philippe Raskin. Today, Mitsuru plays all over the world and gives recitals in Japan, France, Italy, Poland, Austria and Croatia, in prestigious halls whose list is dizzying: Miyagino Cultural Center Patona Hall, Sendai Silver Center Exchange Hall, The Tokyo College of Music 100″’ Anniversary Hall (Japan), Salle Cortot, Kawai France Showroom, Jean Jacques-Henner National Museum (France), Tadinia Academy Concert Hall, Basilica Santa Maria in Valvendra (Italy), Paderewski Music School Concert Hall (Poland), Ehlber Saal (Austria), Jakova Gotovca Concert Hall, Josip Hatze Music School Concert Hall (Croatia), etc.
Meeting with Mitsuru Yamakawa
The Japanese pianist tells us about his experience in the United Arab Emirates: “I met Alexander Tchobanov in 2021 at the Tarnéw Piano Festival in Poland. There we became friends and we respect each other. Then when I finished my studies, he offered me this opportunity, because he liked my performance and he felt that I could perform at Steinway & Sons Dubai. He gave me a chance as a musician. I felt the great musical potential of the United Arab Emirates. Because I heard a lot of good music at the British School Al Khubairat. They have a real musical ear. The Emirates are part of Asia, and I noticed that there was a real Asian mentality here: work seriously and aim for perfection. The Emirates are clearly moving towards this, with good music school teachers, real opportunities for prestigious concerts, and good competitiveness, which pulls everyone up. Unfortunately, the Emirates does not yet have a national orchestra, but I believe that the day it does, classical music will really become popular. I am convinced that the United Arab Emirates will very soon become one of the best countries in the world and a stronghold of classical music."
And what about classical music in Japan?
“The big difference between Europe and Japan is that Europeans, and France in particular, are more interested in classical music. When I was in France, I played pieces not necessarily known by composers such as Scarlatti, Haydn, Mendelssohn Brahms, Prokofiev even Ligeti, Messiaen, and the audience liked it! People were happy to listen to music and discover new songs. On the other hand, in Japan, if you don't play popular works, people don't come to concerts! Musical culture in Japan is still limited. Japanese people don't often go to concerts, especially young people. They study music, of course, but discovering little-known pieces or musicians does not interest them. It's a big problem, and Europe doesn't have that problem. European audiences love classical music and go to concerts even if the works performed are not famous... I returned to Japan only 11 months ago, and I already feel a big difference compared to Europe and even the Emirates, which seem more open to me than in Japan. My challenge for my country is to change this. »
