Chanel Nexus Hall, which carries on the spirit of Gabrielle Chanel, a lover and supporter of the arts, engages in unique activities befitting Chanel, such as concerts and exhibitions by young musicians. As part of these efforts, the "Chanel Pygmalion Days" program, which offers performance opportunities to young musicians, will be streamed online for a limited time over five consecutive weeks, from Friday, October 16 to Thursday, November 19, 2020, as a concert without an audience due to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Derived from Greek mythology, "Pygmalion" refers to someone who believes in and nurtures talent, helping it to blossom. Gabrielle Chanel was also known by the nickname "Pygmalion" and passionately supported contemporary artists such as Pablo Picasso, Igor Stravinsky, and Jean Cocteau.

Inheriting this spirit, "Chanel Nexus Hall" has been supporting artists since its establishment in 2005. One of its main activities is the "Chanel Pygmalion Days" program, which nurtures young musicians and provides them with performance opportunities several times a year.

Through this program, five promising young classical musicians are selected each year through public application and other means, and are provided with concert opportunities throughout the year. In the style of salon concerts, which are familiar in Europe, the program emphasizes an intimate atmosphere where the stage and audience engage in dialogue through music. During the concert, the performers themselves offer talks about the music they have chosen, sharing stories about the background of the compositions or personal anecdotes related to the pieces. By 2019, 78 musicians had gained experience and taken a new step forward in their musical careers.

The "Chanel Pygmalion Days Concert" scheduled for 2020 was postponed due to the spread of the novel coronavirus and is planned to resume next spring. However, as a special measure, five participating artists will perform at Chanel Nexus Hall without an audience, and these concert videos will be streamed online for a limited time over five consecutive weeks.

This year's participating artists are Hina Maeda (violin), Yuya Mizuno (cello), Kyoshiro Hirama (piano), Daisuke Yagi (piano), and Reina Suzuki (soprano). The lineup is diverse, including artists based overseas and current high school students balancing their studies with their musical pursuits.

This autumn of arts, why not enjoy fresh and passionate performances, accompanied by commentary on the chosen pieces from the artists themselves, just as you would at a live concert?

Official Page
https://chanelnexushall.jp/

■ Part 1
Friday, October 16 – Thursday, October 22 | Kyoshiro Hirama (Piano)
The first stream features a performance by Kyoshiro Hirama (piano). After graduating from high school, he moved to the United States to study at Park University's International Center for Music, and will begin his graduate studies this fall, marking his fifth year in the U.S. He is reportedly receiving instruction on how to read scores orchestrally and bring out all the nuances of the music. For this stream, in commemoration of Beethoven's 250th birthday, he will perform Beethoven's sonata, a piece that holds special memories for him.
【Program】
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique"
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 "Appassionata"

■ Part 2
Friday, October 23 – Thursday, October 29 | Hina Maeda (Violin)
Hina Maeda, currently a student at the attached high school of Tokyo University of the Arts, is a third-year high school student. This year, she won first prize and the Audience Award in the string division of the 18th Tokyo Music Competition. In the first half, she will perform Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 1, celebrating his 250th birthday this year. In the second half, she will present Richard Strauss's Violin Sonata, a piece she wished to perform first when concerts resume. It is a work filled with the brilliance of youth, composed by the German composer in his twenties.
【Program】
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 1 in D major, Op. 12, No. 1
Ysaÿe: Solo Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 27, No. 3 "Ballade"
Strauss: Violin Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 18

■ Part 3
Friday, October 30 – Thursday, November 5 | Yuya Mizuno (Cello)
Yuya Mizuno has been enrolled at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Hungary since 2018. He is immersed in his musical studies in an environment with a large concert hall where performances are held almost daily, and the Danube River and beautiful scenery nearby. During the period of self-restraint, he spent valuable time in Budapest, Hungary, playing freely without the pressure of time, studying the historical context of compositions, and running along the Danube. This program will feature Beethoven's cello works and pieces by related composers. Brahms's "Cello Sonata No. 1" begins with a deep cello tone reminiscent of late autumn.
【Program】
Beethoven: Cello Sonata No. 4
Webern: Two Pieces for Cello and Piano
Brahms: Cello Sonata No. 1

■ Part 4
Friday, November 6 – Thursday, November 12 | Daisuke Yagi (Piano)
Daisuke Yagi currently attends Keio Senior High School and studies piano while balancing his academic pursuits. He hopes to perform with different themes in the "Chanel Pygmalion Days" series when it resumes next year. For this stream, he has curated a program themed "Brilliant Arrangements." It begins with Mozart's "9 Variations on a Minuet by Duport" and includes Liszt's "Reminiscences de Don Juan," known as a challenging piece and described by Ferruccio Busoni as having "symbolic significance as the pinnacle of pianism."
【Program】
Mozart: 9 Variations on "Jeancourt" in D major, K. 573
Liszt: Réminiscences de Don Juan, S.418 R.228
Kreisler / Rachmaninoff: Liebesleid, Liebesfreud
Saint-Saëns / Liszt: Danse Macabre

■ Part 5
Friday, November 13 – Thursday, November 19 | Reina Suzuki (Soprano)
Reina Suzuki expressed her enthusiasm for when the "Chanel Pygmalion Days Concert" resumes, stating her desire to present a program themed "An Invitation to Places Associated with Classical Music," featuring works born in Germany, Austria, Italy, France, and Japan, along with anecdotes from each country. For this stream, she will present Japanese songs, German songs by Pfitzner, which she studied during her time in Vienna and which hold special memories, and finally, opera arias.
【Program】
Kōsaku Yamada: Kono Michi
Kōsaku Yamada: Kokoro wo Komete Hana wo Sasagu
Toru Takemitsu: Sora ni Tsuite
Makiko Kinoshita: Sabishii Kashi no Ki
Pfitzner: Alte Weisen, Op. 33
I. Mein Liebster singt wie die Vöglein, II. Ich muss mir was Abgewöhnen, III. Das Kind, IV. Ich wandle durch den Morgentau
V. Mein Liebster ist so jung, VI. Roslein, Röslein, Röslein
VII. Eingeholt, edler Jüngling, VIII. Wie gleißend voll Mondenschein
Bizet: "Les tringles des sistres tintaient" from the opera "Carmen"
Bernstein: "Glitter and Be Gay" from the opera "Candide"

■ Chanel Pygmalion Days 2020 Participating Artists
Kyoshiro Hirama (Piano)
Recipient of numerous awards, including 5th prize in the piano division of the Sendai International Music Competition, 2nd prize in the national high school division of the All Japan Student Music Competition and the Yokohama Citizens' Award, and gold medals in the F and Jr. G categories of the PTNA Piano Competition. He has performed in many concerts both in Japan and abroad, and has collaborated with orchestras such as the São Paulo Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Uzbekistan Symphony Orchestra. He is currently studying under Stanislav Ioudenitch at the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory.

Hina Maeda (Violin)
Born in 2002. A special scholarship student at the attached high school of Tokyo University of the Arts. First prize at the Kloster Schöntal International Violin Competition. Second prize and the Iwatani Award (Audience Award) in the violin division of the 88th Music Competition of Japan. Recipient of numerous awards at domestic and international competitions, auditions, and masterclasses, including the Kirishima International Music Festival Award. A recipient of the 48th scholarship from the Ezoe Memorial Recruit Foundation. Studied under Machie Oguri, Koichiro Harada, and Mayuko Kamio.

Yuya Mizuno (Cello)
Third prize in the cello division of the 83rd Music Competition of Japan. First prize and Audience Award in the string division of the 13th Tokyo Music Competition. First prize in the string instrument division of the 23rd Concours de Musique de MARRONNIER 21. Graduated with honors from the Toho Gakuen High School Music Department. Completed the Soloist Diploma Course at Toho Gakuen College as a scholarship student. Currently studying under Miklós Perényi at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Hungary.

Daisuke Yagi (Piano)
Born in 2003. In May 2017, he won the Grand Prix and Audience Award at the 7th International Piano Talent Competition. In October of the same year, he won third prize at the 30th International Piano Competition "Città di Pozzuoli," and in May 2018, he won first prize in the Classical period division at the "Città di Cantù" International Piano Concerto Competition. He has achieved numerous youngest-ever placements in international competitions. Currently enrolled at Keio Senior High School.

Reina Suzuki (Soprano)
Completed the Vocal Performance Artist Course and graduate program at Tokyo University of the Arts, both with top honors. Recipient of numerous awards, including first prize in the vocal division of the Music Competition of Japan and first prize at the Ljuba Welitsch International Vocal Competition.
She is expanding her performance activities both in Japan and abroad, including her role as Blonde in the opera "The Abduction from the Seraglio" at the Nissei Theatre. She has honed her skills in Munich and Vienna as a recipient of a fellowship from the Agency for Cultural Affairs and a scholarship from Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance.