No.she063May 14, 2026
Suntory Hall Chamber Music Garden 2026
June 5-20, 2026
Founded in 2011, Suntory Hall Chamber Music Garden (CMG) is recognised as Japan’s largest chamber music festival. Featuring chamber music in all forms and sizes, CMG takes place every June in the intimate space of the “Blue Rose” (Small Hall) where the audience can experience chamber music up close. In celebration of the hall’s 40th anniversary season, a total of 24 concerts will take place over 16 days (June 5-20), including the complete Beethoven String Quartet Cycle by the celebrated Quatuor Ébène.
Every year, the festival opens with a concert produced and performed by cellist and the hall’s President Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi. This year, he presents a delightful programme of music for cello ensemble together with three younger colleagues, Yuki Ito, Tatsuki Sasanuma, and Gen Yokosaka (June 5).
Making its long-awaited debut at the CMG is the world-renowned Quatuor Ébène who will perform the complete Beethoven string quartet cycle, a central feature of the festival. Five years since their groundbreaking “Beethoven Around the World” project, recording the complete quartets on five continents, they will now embark on this epic journey in Tokyo over 6 days (June 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16).
Also appearing for the first time at the CMG is the New York-based Horszowski Trio, who performs a thoughtfully assembled programme that includes Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 2 and a piano trio arrangement of Schoenberg’s “6 Little Piano Pieces” by pianist Rieko Aizawa (June 19). The Cleveland Orchestra Brass Quintet, formed of five outstanding brass players from the world-renowned orchestra including Michael Sachs (Trumpet), combine original quintet repertoire with arrangements of Carmen and Candide (June 8).
CMG regular, pianist Yu Kosuge has devised two fascinating concerts in this anniversary year. Borrowed Landscape is a chamber play with music by Dai Fujikura which tells the stories of three special instruments that survived the war including a piano that belonged to a girl who died in the Hiroshima bombing (June 14). The second concert features chamber works by Schoenberg and Korngold, whose lives were also affected by the times (June 17).
Making a welcome return are the professors and students of the Kronberg Academy from Germany (June 18, 20) who previously appeared at the CMG in 2023. Together with Professors Mihaela Martin (Violin), Nobuko Imai (Viola, Former Principal Professor), and Frans Helmerson (Cello), the students will perform two programmes which include Dvořák’s glorious Piano Quintet and Schubert’s String Quintet.
Also, the period instrument duo of Atsushi Sakai and Yoshio Watanabe returns to explore the music of J. S. Bach and Schubert on the five-stringed cello piccolo and the chamber organ/fortepiano (June 7).
“Precious 1pm” is a popular series of one-hour concerts held on weekday lunchtimes with talks by the artists from the stage (June 8, 11, 16, 19). This year’s line-up includes festival favourites such as Michie Koyama (Piano), Naoko Yoshino (Harp), and Shigenori Kudo (Flute). Also, J-TRAD Ensemble MAHOROBA, one of the foremost Japanese traditional instrument ensembles, performs a celebratory programme including J. S. Bach’s Chaconne on the koto and a world premiere work.
CMG is a great showcase for the fellows and alumni of the Suntory Hall Chamber Music Academy. Prominent alumni, Aoi Trio continues with its highly popular seven-year project for the CMG, combining each of Beethoven’s piano trios with diverse repertoire in the run-up to Beethoven’s anniversary in 2027. Now in its sixth year, Beethoven’s Piano Trio Op. 70, No. 2 is combined with Takemitsu and Ravel (June 11). They will also take part in the CMG Finale (June 20).
Another recent alumni, Quartet Integra is joined by esteemed viola player and Academy coaching faculty Kazuhide Isomura. They explore two great masterpieces for the string quintet by Mozart and Dvořák (June 14).
The “ENJOY! Concerts by Chamber Music Academy Fellows”, held on Saturday mornings, feature seven current ensembles of the Academy (June 6, 13). Selected fellows will also take part in the CMG Finale.
CMG continues to cater for a diverse audience by having concerts at different times of the day, and it features a strong line-up of world-class musicians across the generations. From chamber music beginners to connoisseurs, there is plenty for everyone to enjoy at Chamber Music Garden.
Details of the Chamber Music Garden 2026 can be found at the following:
https://www.suntory.com/culture-sports/suntoryhall/articles/detail/136275.html
For further information and press photos, please contact:
suntoryhall-pr@suntory.co.jp
Public Relations, Suntory Hall
Website: http://suntory.jp/HALL-e/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suntoryhall/
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