Young musicians perform with an orchestra.

The Japan-Romania Music AssociationThursday, July 30, 2026We will be holding the "2nd Annual Soar Towards the Future! Concerto Series for Juniors."

In this performance, three young musicians who achieved outstanding results in our association's junior music competition will take on the challenge of performing a concerto with an orchestra.

Please come and enjoy the performances of these talented musicians who are poised to soar into the future.

Performers

piano:Kitamura Emi
flute:Yukine Yoshida
Violin:Mayuko Bando

Special guest:Violinist Runa Okubo
Winner of the Grand Prix at the Romania International Music Competition.
She is a highly acclaimed young violinist who is active both in Japan and internationally.

orchestra:Romanian Tokyo National Orchestra
Concertmaster:Momoto Otsuki

The collaboration between the young soloists and the supporting orchestra is another major highlight of this performance.

program

• WA Mozart
  First movement from Piano Concerto No. 11 in F major, K. 413 (387a)
  Piano solo: Emi Kitamura
• M. Bruch
  Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46, Movements 3 and 4
  Violin solo: Mayuko Bando
• J. Ibert
  Third movement from the Flute Concerto
  Original flute arrangement: Yukine Yoshida
• J. Sibelius
  Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47
  Violin solo: Runa Okubo

*The song list may be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.

Performance Overview

Date and time: Thursday, July 30, 2026
Doors open 14:00/Start 14:30
Venue: Shinagawa Ward Gotanda Cultural Center Music Hall
6-5-1 Nishigotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo

Tickets: 3,000 yen (all seats unreserved)
Tickets can be purchased from the page below.
https://tiget.net/events/500889

Please support these young talents.

This series of concerts aims to provide young musicians who will shape the future with the valuable experience of performing with an orchestra.

We hope that many of you will support and encourage these children as they continue to learn music.

We look forward to your visit.

profile

Kitamura Emi

In 2022, she skipped a grade and entered the PTNA Piano Competition A1 category, winning an award at the national competition.
First prize and gold medal at the 2023 China Youth Piano Competition Shimane Tournament.
Gold Prize in both Piano and Vocal Divisions at the 2024 Izumo Music Competition.
In 2024 and 2025, she won first prize and the Keishu Award in the singing division of the Puraba Music Competition.
In 2025, she won the Future Prize at the Basel International Junior Music Competition, the Silver Prize at the Romania International Junior Music Competition, and first prize in the Young A (9-10 year old) category of the Clara Schumann International Music Competition (piano division).
Since 2024, she has also been involved in rakugo (traditional Japanese comic storytelling) as "Katsujuku-tei Art," winning awards at rakugo competitions. She has also been continuously involved in charity activities through music and rakugo, winning the Marble Award 2025. She studied piano under Tomoyo Umemura and Sayaka Bando, and singing under Shizuko Watanabe.

Yukine Yoshida

I started learning the flute in my first year of elementary school, and this is my sixth year.
She won the gold prize at the All Japan Wind Music Competition, first place in Section III Infight Division at the Osaka International Music Competition, first place and a special jury prize at the Saitama International Music Competition Junior Division, first place and a special jury prize at the Kariya International Music Competition, and the Kariya Music Association Award.
She won first place and the Grand Prize in the Elementary School Division of the Mie Prefecture Music Competition Flute Category, and also received the Mie Prefecture Governor's Award.
In 2024, I will perform with the Arte Orchestra and fulfill my long-held dream of becoming a soloist.
She became the youngest recipient in the history of the 24th Mie Prefecture Cultural Newcomer Award.
In 2025, they won the Gold Prize and the Special Jury Prize in the 5th and 6th Grade Wind Instrument Division of the Romania International Junior Music Competition.
At the 27th Venue International Music Competition, she won first place with a perfect score of 100 points in the elementary school division of the wind instrument category, and made her international debut at the awards ceremony concert held at Carnegie Hall.
Winner of the 2026 NY Classical Debut Awards.
2026 The New York Classical Music Competition, Junior Division, 1st Place

Mayuko Bando

She began playing the violin at the age of three, studying under Isako Shinozaki. She has won numerous awards, including the gold prize and grand prize at the 8th Romania International Junior Music Competition, first prize at the 2nd Japan Music Competition, first prize and the Kamakura City Board of Education Award at the 25th Japan Performer Competition, and first prize at the 18th International Junior Music Competition.
In 2023, I performed with a string ensemble at the Shimanami Kaido Autumn Music Vacation Village.
He will hold a solo concert in 2024 and perform with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.
They performed at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo and participated in concerts in three locations in Romania: Bucharest, Sibiu, and Sfontogorghe during a concert tour.
She has participated in concerts at the Romanian Embassy in Japan. In addition, she regularly volunteers to perform at nursing homes in Bunkyo Ward. She is currently a third-year student at Shirayuri Gakuen Junior High School and is enrolled in the Toho Gakuen School of Music's Children's Music Classroom (Ochanomizu Classroom).

Runa Okubo

Born in 2006. His expressive musicality has been recognized since childhood, and in 2017 he appeared on TV Asahi's "Untitled Concert" in the "Concert of Child Prodigies" segment. In 2018, he was invited as a guest to perform in the program's special concert at "La Folle Journée TOKYO 2018." In February 2025, he was selected as concertmaster for the program's 60th anniversary project, "Kazuki Yamada's Concert of the Future Orchestra." He has performed with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Yokohama Sinfonietta, Sibiu State Philharmonic, and Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Yuko Tanaka, Daisuke Soga, Masahiko Enkoji, and Kazuki Yamada.
In September 2025, I was invited to a goodwill concert commemorating the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan, where I performed with the Gwangju Municipal Symphony Orchestra in South Korea.
In December of the same year, he appeared in the "Takasaki Arts Theatre Naoto Otomo Presents T-Shot Series," which was well-received.
In April 2026, her debut album "LUNA OKUBO IN CONCERT," recorded at the same theater, was released by Octavia Records.
First prize at the 69th and 73rd All Japan Student Music Competition Tokyo regional competition and third prize at the national competition; first prize at the 75th All Japan Student Music Competition Tokyo regional competition and second prize at the national competition. Grand Prix and Russian Music Prize in all categories at the 3rd Japan Music Competition.
Winner of the Grand Prix, Concerto Prize, and Audience Award in all categories at the 18th Romania International Music Competition. Winner of the 9th Arion Toho Music Award.
She received instruction from Akiko Suwanai at the "International Music Festival NIPPON" from the very first festival (when she was 6 years old).
She has previously studied violin with Midori Masuda and Nozomi Terazawa, and is currently studying with Akiko Tatsumi in the Soloist Diploma Course at Toho Gakuen School of Music, and composition with Kazuo Mise, while also being a third-year student in the Department of Political Science at Keio University's Faculty of Law.