A winter evening of student orchestra at full strength is coming to Osaka. Osaka College of Music, Kansai’s only dedicated music university, holds its “69th Subscription Concert” at The Symphony Hall in Kita-ku, Osaka, on Saturday, December 5, 2026. The conductor is the internationally acclaimed Hubert Soudant, and the violin soloist is 木村悦子, a specially appointed professor at the college.
Students make one piece of music together with professionals
The Osaka College of Music Orchestra brings together students from the wind, string and percussion majors, among others. The annual subscription concert, held on a proper concert-hall stage, is seen as a valuable chance to sharpen musicianship and grow as a performer. This year’s theme is to improve not only technique but also attitude toward music and ensemble skills, through playing alongside leading musicians.
For the audience, too, there is plenty to look forward to. The earnestness of students putting everything into every note, and the sense of unity as everyone faces the same direction, promise a different kind of energy from a professional concert.
Three works, three highlights
The program covers three works from different eras and styles, from the 19th to the 20th century.
- Berlioz, Overture “Le carnaval romain,” Op. 9: Inspired by the Italian carnival, with vivid orchestration and light rhythms derived from Italian dances — a lively opener
- Prokofiev, Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, Op. 19: Lyrical, dreamlike melodies meet Prokofiev’s trademark sharpness and drive. The “conversation” between 木村悦子’s solo violin and the orchestra is the highlight
- Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47: Premiered in 1937 and widely regarded as his signature work, it features tense, powerful sound, deep lyricism and a grand finale, conveying both struggle and hope
Watching a student orchestra take on this great symphony head-on is part of the appeal of a subscription concert.
The conductor and the violinist from Nara
Hubert Soudant was born in Maastricht, the Netherlands, in 1946. He holds top prizes from the Besançon International Competition for Young Conductors, the Karajan Competition (2nd prize) and the Guido Cantelli Competition (1st prize). He served as music director of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, among other posts, and is now its Conductor Laureate and Honorary Artistic Advisor to the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa. In recent years he has also worked with the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra, so his name may be familiar to Kansai orchestra fans.
Violinist 木村悦子 is from Nara Prefecture. After completing her studies at Osaka College of Music and its graduate school, she studied at the University of Toronto and won a prize at the Joseph Szigeti International Violin Competition. After 25 years abroad, including as assistant concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, she became concertmaster of the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra in April 2023, and has been a specially appointed professor at Osaka College of Music since 2025. A musician who trained in Kansai, honed her craft overseas and now shares the stage with students of her alma mater is another highlight of this concert.
Event information
- Event: Osaka College of Music 69th Subscription Concert
- Date and time: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 18:30 start (doors open 17:30)
- Venue: The Symphony Hall (2-3-3 Oyodominami, Kita-ku, Osaka)
- Performers: Conductor: Hubert Soudant; violin: 木村悦子; orchestra: Osaka College of Music Orchestra
- Tickets: All seats reserved. General ¥3,500 (tax included); high school students and under free (the college’s current students, faculty and staff (excluding performers), research students and course auditors are also free)
- How to buy: General tickets are sold at the college’s online store until Monday, November 23 (national holiday). After that, by phone only until 13:30 on Friday, December 4. Purchases outside the college’s online store incur a ¥300 (tax included) fee per ticket. Paper tickets for reserved seats
- Application for high school students and under (Japanese): https://customform.jp/form/input/243400?key=4bbca8bd
- General ticket application (Japanese): https://daion.shop/items/6a17ac30f30db2178accd91b
- Note: Children under school age are not admitted
- Inquiries: Osaka College of Music Concert Center, 06-6334-2242 (weekdays 9:00–16:00; closed Saturdays, Sundays and holidays)
- Website (Japanese): https://www.daion.ac.jp/
