Takeo Higuchi
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Message from the New Chairman of the Board of the Orchestra Osaka Symphoniker Society
Recently I was appointed to succeed Mr. Satoshi Iue of Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., as Chairman of the Board of the Orchestra Osaka Symphoniker Society, the supporting organization for the 26-year-old Orchestra Osaka Symphoniker. It is my great honor and responsibility to support this wonderful orchestra that was founded in 1980 by Ms. Hiroko Shikishima, the current president, with the motto of "Providing music that fulfills both the audience and musicians," and has done that successfully for over a quarter century. On this occasion, I would like to express my deepest respect for Ms. Shikishima, who has led the Orchestra to where it is now, and the musicians for their exceptional and untiring effort and dedication.
Business in the Kansai area has been declining for some time, but finally there are some signs of recovery. In order to expand and develop the whole Kansai region further, not just in terms of economy, growth in cultural and artistic activities will play an important role. Today there is more interest in the pursuit of spiritual enrichment than material wealth. Since history and culture have always been an integral part of the Osaka and Kansai region, having an orchestra that has deep ties with the community is essential when promoting further cultural development of this area. However, recognizing the difficulty in managing a successful orchestra, I would ask each and every member of the Board of the Orchestra Osaka Symphoniker Society and corporate members for their continuing support and, most importantly, I would also like to ask those who have attended the Symphoniker's performances in the past to keep coming back for the future performances. As the new Chairman of the Board of the Orchestra Osaka Symphoniker Society, my hope is that the orchestra will establish deeper foundation not only in its home city, Sakai, but also in broader Osaka and Kansai region, and in addition that it will play even more of an important role by letting the world know about Kansai area's very own musical culture. In support of the Orchestra I will pursue these goals to the best of my ability. In closing, we appreciate your continuing support of the Orchestra and our activities. |
