Mediterranean Magic with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
Tokyo Philharmonic
Orchestra
Orchestra
Dubai, UAE
On Friday, 11th April 2025, the 14th edition of the InClassica International Music Festival will continue at the Dubai Opera with celebrated Italian clarinettist Fabrizio Meloni, accompanied by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Tomàs Grau, widely recognised as one of the most captivating and inspiring conductors on the international stage today. Presenting a carefully curated programme blending traditional and contemporary works, the concert opens with Alexander Borodin's In the Steppes of Central Asia, an enchantingly symphonic poem that paints a soundscape of desert winds and distant horizons. Following this, Meloni, a former principal clarinet of the Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala and a winner of numerous international prizes, takes centre stage to perform Alexey Shor's Clarinet Concerto No. 2, a lyrical and orchestral piece showcasing the virtuosity of the instrument. To conclude, the orchestra will perform Igor Stravinsky's monumental The Firebird suite, developed from the ballet of the same name, that draws upon folk themes and mythical imagery.
An inspired and highly sensitive conductor, Tomàs Grau is characterized by his precise and clear gesture and by the sincerity of his musical readings, which seek to transmit the light, delicate emotions of each of the scores, sharing with the audience his love for the music.
He has conducted many international soloists, including Anne-Sophie Mutter, Maria João Pires, Midori, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Gautier Capuçon, Mischa
Maisky, Javier Perianes, Sabine Meyer,Steven Isserlis, Paul Lewis, Alexei Volodin, Stephen Kovacevich, Alexander Melnikov, Seong-Jin Cho, Mark Padmore and Alice Sara Ott in all the main concert halls in Spain, including the National Auditorium in Madrid, the Auditorio in Zaragoza, the Palau de la Música Catalana and the Auditori in Barcelona, as well as internationally at the Tonhalle in Zurich.
Nowadays, Tomàs is the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Franz Schubert Filharmonia, and he is often invited to conduct other orchestras, such as the Orquesta Nacional de España, Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria, Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias, Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga, Orquesta Sinfónica de la Región de Murcia, Orquesta de Córdoba, Orquesta Sinfónica de Burgos, Beethoven Philharmonie and Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, among others. He has recorded for labels such as SONY Classical, ARS Produktion (label of the year at the International Classical Music Awards) and Discmedi.
Among his immediate commitments, he will be conducting such soloists as Ivo Pogorelich, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Katia & Marielle Labèque and, once again, Midori. Born in Barcelona in 1979, Tomàs Grau studied music at the Superior Conservatory of Music in his own city. He continued his conducting studies at the Superior School of Music of Catalonia, where he graduated in Orchestral Conducting, with top ratings. His Orchestral Conducting studies were completed in the Wiener Meisterkurse.
Fabrizio Meloni, since 1984, is the first solo clarinet chair of the Orchestra and the Philharmonic of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. He has finished his clarinet studies at Milan's Conservatorio "G. Verdi"with summa cum laude and the special mention for his artistic achievement.
Winner dozens of national and international prizes (ARD Munchen-1987- Prague – 1987-, among all), he has been partner of soloists of international reputation: Bruno Canino, Alexander Lonquich, Michele Campanella, Heinrich Schiff, Friederich Gulda, Nazzareno Carusi, Editha Gruberova, the Hagen Quartet, Myung-Whun Chung, Philip Moll and the Fine Arts Quartet. He has toured the United States and Israel with the "Quintetto a Fiati Italiano", performing works specially dedicated to this ensemble by Luciano Berio (with whom he has collaborated along the years 1989-1994) and Salvatore Sciarrino. With Nuovo Quintetto Italiano he has already toured South America and Far East, receiving enthousiastic consents of public and critic. The same success he has had in various series of concerts in Japan with Phillip Moll and I Solisti della Scala (Tokyo and Osaka), performing a program of Italian Opera's collections recorded in the CD "I Fiati all'Opera"(DAD Records).
With the ensemble I Solisti della Scala Trio he has performed all over the world. The Washington Post has written about their recital in Washington, DC: "An evening of breathtaking artistry". In 2007 he has toured Italy, Germany, the United States, Australia and Japan playing duo with the pianist Nazzareno Carusi, celebrating the anniversaries of Johannes Brahms and Domenico Scarlatti. After their performance for the Hamburg's Brahms-Gesellschaft, Cord Garben (the artistic producer of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli's Deutsche Grammophone recordings) has written: "The listening to their recital has been an unforgettable adventure".
He has realised various recordings: the Sinfonia Concertante and the Concert K 622 for clarinet and orchestra with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala conducted by Riccardo Muti; Pulcherrima Ignota with the Bairav Ensemble: tribute to the tzigane music in the world; Duo Obliquo with Carl Boccadoro; the Quintetti for clarinet and strings by Mozart and Brahms; the Histoire du Soldat by Stavinskij in the double version for trio and settimino with Domenico Nordio, Giorgia Tomassi and I Solisti della Scala; the Quatuor pour la fin des temps by Messiaen with the Trio Johannes. For the most prestigious Italian musical magazine, AMADEUS, he has published the Concertos for clarinetto and orchestra by Rossini, Donizetti and Mercadante with the Accademia Filarmonica of Verona; and the two Sonatas op. 120 for piano and clarinet by Brahms with Nazzareno Carusi: this recording has been defined "skillful"by the same review. In 2009 will be released several recordings: the DVD "Duets"(Warner), the Francaix/Nielsen/Copland's Clarinet Concertos (Amadeus), and "Ol ari Nyiro Diary" (by Fabrizio Meloni & Roberto Prosseda, from novels by Kuki Gallman).
He has given masterclass for the Paris Conservatory of Music, the Advanced Conservatory of Italian Switzerland in Lugano, the Tokyo University, the New York Manhattan School, the Chicago NorthEastern Illinois University, the Academy Ca' Zenobio in Treviso, Milano Music Master and for the summer courses of Monterubbiano (AP). He also teaches for the Teatro alla Scala's Academy, the Conservatorio di Modena (Italy), the Conservatorio Vecchi A.Tonelli (Modena, Italy), Peri ( Reggio Emilia, Italy), the Conservatorio di Udine (Italy) and the Conservatorio de Musica in Zaragoza (Spain). He is author of the book "The Clarinet", published by Zecchini Editore, and prefaced by Riccardo Muti.
In 2023, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates its 112th anniversary of Japan’s first symphony orchestra. With about 160 musicians, TPO performs both symphonies and operas regularly. TPO is proud to have appointed Maestro Myung-Whun Chung, who has been conducting TPO since 2001, as Honorary Music Director, Maestro Andrea Battistoni as Chief Conductor and Maestro Mikhail Pletnev as Special Guest Conductor.
TPO has established its world-class reputation through its subscription concert series, regular opera and ballet assignments at the New National Theatre, and a full, ever in-demand agenda around Japan and the world, including broadcasting with NHK Broadcasting Corporation, various educational programs, and tours abroad. While Tokyo Phil is a frequent recipient of the ACA National Arts Festival Award in Japan, its recordings have been highly acclaimed internationally, winning the "OPUS KLASSIK 2021" award in the symphonic category (20th-21st century).
Read MoreTPO has partnerships with Bunkamura Orchard Hall, the Bunkyo Ward in Tokyo, Chiba City, Karuizawa Cho in Nagano and Nagaoka City in Niigata.
The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra has the longest history and tradition of any orchestra in Japan, having been originally established in Nagoya in 1911. It is currently the largest orchestra in Japan with 166 members and is distinguished for its active and varied schedule embracing symphonic concerts, opera and ballet.
After moving its base to Tokyo in 1938 the orchestra played a pivotal role in bringing authentic opera to the Japanese public under Chief conductor Manfred Gurlitt (1890-1972.) Shortly after the war, the orchestra became a fully independent organization and changed its name to the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra focusing on subscription concerts, opera and ballet while also pursuing an active broadcasting program with NHK.
Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra performs regularly at Tokyo's most distinguished Suntory and Orchard Halls and at Tokyo Opera City where it has its base. The orchestra has received many awards and honors, including the Ongaku No Tomo Sha Prize (1984), the Agency for Cultural Affairs "Art Festival Prize"(1986) and "Art Festival Grand Prize" (1995). Furthermore, the orchestra has been designated as one of the organizations for the Agency for Cultural Affairs "Special Program to Artistic Creativity". From 1997 it became the regular orchestra at Tokyo's New National Theatre.
In 1999, Norio Ohga, Chairman of SONY Corporation, was appointed Chairman of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2001, with visions of further growth, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra merged with the Japan Shinsei Symphony Orchestra.
From 2001, Myung-Whun Chung has been the Special Artistic Advisor of Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Under his guidance the Orchestra carries out regular subscription concerts at Orchard Hall and Suntory Hall in Tokyo and opera and ballet performances at the New National Theatre while also continuing a varied broadcasting and special concert program.
In 2011 Mr. Ryoji Chubachi, Vice Chairman, Representative Corporate Executive Officer of Sony Corporation,assumed the position of the Tokyo Philharmonic's President, and Hiroshi Mikitani, Chairman and CEO of Rakuten, Inc., became Chairman.
In 2012, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra's 100th Anniversary Special Concert, conducted by Myung-Whun Chung, was held at Suntory Hall.
The Orchestra regularly performs in regions outside Tokyo and engages in regional cultural exchange and education programs. Tokyo Philharmonic has carried out 3 well-received European tours and is regarded as an upcoming world-class orchestra.
