Bach Collegium Japan

Sunday, April 20, 2025, at 4:00 PM

Saitama Arts Theater Adaptable Theater

Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

Evangelist (Tenor): Shimon Yoshida

Sopranos: Hana Blažíková, Miku Yasukawa

Altos: Marianne Beate Kielland, Hiroya Aoki

Tenor: Makoto Sakurada

Basses: Jochen Kupfer, Toru Ka

S. Bach: St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244

Saitama Arts Foundation

Masaaki Suzuki / Conductor

Masaaki Suzuki founded the Bach Collegium Japan (BCJ) in 1990 and is widely regarded as a leading interpreter of Bach’s works. He has led the ensemble to perform at major concert halls and festivals across Europe and the U.S., gaining high acclaim for his eloquent and transparent sound and deeply insightful approach to Bach’s music. His extensive discography includes J.S. Bach: Complete Harpsichord Works, J.S. Bach: Organ Masterpieces, Buxtehude: Organ Works, Sweelinck: Genevan Psalms, and the multi-volume J.S. Bach: Organ Works.
In recent years, Suzuki has also collaborated with modern orchestras, expanding his repertoire. Highlights include guest conducting the New York Philharmonic in December 2022. His honors include the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2001, the prestigious Bach Medal in 2012, and the Bach Prize from London’s Royal Academy of Music. He also received the 45th Suntory Music Award in 2013 together with the BCJ.
Additionally, Suzuki holds numerous academic and honorary positions: Artist-in-Residence at Yale University, Visiting Professor at Kobe Shoin Women’s University, and Professor Emeritus at Tokyo University of the Arts, among others. He has earned a doctorate from Tokyo University of the Arts and accolades in various competitions, including the Japan-German Lied Competition and the R. Strauss Society Award.

Bach Collegium Japan / Choir & Orchestra

Founded in 1990 by Masaaki Suzuki, BCJ specializes in historically informed performances of Bach and other Baroque repertoire. With an ensemble of early music specialists from around the world, BCJ uses period instruments to achieve ideal interpretations of musical heritage.
Their extensive discography, including the Complete Church Cantatas of Bach (completed over 18 years), has received international acclaim, winning awards such as the Echo Klassik Prize. BCJ has performed at prestigious venues worldwide, such as the BBC Proms and Carnegie Hall. Recent highlights include a European tour across nine cities in 2022 and an appearance at the Leipzig Bach Festival in 2023.

Shimon Yoshida / Tenor (Evangelist)
Born in Nagoya, Shimon Yoshida graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts and completed his Master’s degree in solo performance at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich. Since 2016, he has performed extensively as a soloist in Europe, appearing in major works by Bach (Christmas Oratorio, St. Matthew Passion, St. John Passion), Handel (Brockes Passion), Mozart (Requiem), Mendelssohn (Elijah), Haydn (The Creation), and Beethoven (Symphony No. 9).
In 2018, Yoshida won the Special Prize at the Concorso Internazionale Salvatore Licitra in Milan. Since 2020, he has been the first Japanese member of the RIAS Chamber Choir in Berlin.

Hana Blažíková / Soprano
Hailing from Prague, Hana Blažíková graduated from the Prague Conservatory under Jiří Kotouč and further trained with notable artists such as Poppy Holden and Peter Kooy. She specializes in Baroque, Renaissance, and medieval music, and her voice has been described as having a “chilling crystal clarity” and “radiance full of nuance.”
She regularly collaborates with international ensembles such as the Bach Collegium Japan, Collegium Vocale Gent, and La Fenice, and performs at major festivals, including the Prague Spring and Utrecht Music Festival. Blažíková is also a skilled performer of the Gothic harp.

Miku Yasukawa / Soprano
Miku Yasukawa studied at Kunitachi College of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts, and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She made her UK operatic debut as Norina in Don Pasquale with Hurn Court Opera in 2022, receiving five-star reviews from Opera Now. Her notable performances include Ravel’s Shéhérazade with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and Brahms’s German Requiem with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

Marianne Beate Kielland / Mezzo-Soprano
After training at the Norwegian Academy of Music, Marianne Beate Kielland became an ensemble member of the Hanover State Opera. Renowned as one of Scandinavia’s leading vocalists, she performs regularly with major European orchestras and at prominent festivals. Kielland has collaborated with esteemed conductors such as Philippe Herreweghe and René Jacobs.
A prolific recording artist, Kielland has contributed to over 40 recordings, including her critically acclaimed performances with the BCJ of Mozart’s Requiem.

Hiroya Aoki / Countertenor
Hiroya Aoki studied historical performance at Tokyo University of the Arts and sacred music at Elisabeth University of Music. He has performed extensively as a soloist in works by Bach (St. Matthew Passion, Christmas Oratorio) and Handel (Messiah), including at the Leipzig Bach Festival. Aoki is also a conductor and director of the “Purcell Project.”

Makoto Sakurada / Tenor
A graduate of Tokyo University of the Arts, Makoto Sakurada specializes in Baroque and Classical repertoire, performing with both early music ensembles and modern orchestras. He has gained international acclaim, including appearances at the Cremona Music Festival and Edinburgh Festival.

Jochen Kupfer / Bass-Baritone
Jochen Kupfer studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and has collaborated with renowned conductors such as Marc Minkowski and Philippe Herreweghe. He has appeared in significant productions, including The Coronation of Poppea at the Boston Early Music Festival. Kupfer also teaches at Lausanne and Fribourg conservatories.

Toru Kaku / Baritone
Toru Kaku graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts and its Master’s program with top honors. Known for his versatility, Kaku has performed in operas ranging from Don Giovanni to Giulio Cesare. With the BCJ, his standout performances include the title role in Mendelssohn’s Elijah. He is a part-time lecturer at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music.