The Opera Research Center at the Showa University of Music was established in 1991 with the goal of exploring measures for the promotion of opera and musical arts in Japan. Since then, we have conducted research and study activities as the country’s most preeminent research institution on opera performance.
Particularly in recent years, we have created a materials archive of performance data, lists of works, and so on from materials related to opera productions, and have been engaged in constructing the Opera Information Center. Working in collaboration with opera performers, the management/production/technical staff supporting the performers, and music researchers, we continue to further our research. Also, the Opera Research Center has concluded a memorandum of understanding with the New National Theatre, Tokyo concerning the mutual loaning of research results and data.
Opera Research Center
Some of visiting lecturers for conferences and extension lectures
*as of Aplil 2016 / alphabetical order
Teresa Berganza
Mezzo Soprano
Robert Carsen
Stage Director
Gus Christie
Executive Chairman
of Glyndebourne Festival
Mariella Devia
Soprano
Peter Gelb
General Manager of
the Metropolitan Opera
Eva Kleinitz
Opera Director of the Stuttgart Opera
President of Opera Europe
Next Intendant of Opéra National
du Rhin in Strasbourg
Peter Konwitschny
Stage Director
Eva Mei
Soprano
Kazushi Ono
Principal Conductor
of the Opéra de Lyon
Next Artistic Director of
Opera of New National
Theatre, Tokyo
Alexander Pereira
CEO and Artistic Director
of Teatro alla Scala
David Pickard
Director of
the BBC Proms
Gianni Tangucci
Artistic Consultant of
the Special Commissioner
of Theatro del Maggio
Musicale Fiorentino
Eva Wagner-Pasquier
Consultant of Bayreuth
Festival
Alberto Zedda
Conductor
Artistic Director
of Rossini Opera Festival
Director of
Accademia Rossiniana
Ballet Research Center
The Ballet Research Center is the only university-affiliated ballet research institute in Japan. It conducts research and studies on the latest trends in international ballet and the state of Japanese ballet culture. Currently, the Ballet Research Center is building a ballet archive to collect and manage materials and books concerning ballet as well as both domestic and international ballet environment survey materials and information. The Ballet Research Center aims to create a premier ballet research site within Japan. And a database of recorded ballet performances in Japan from the 1940s to the present will also be made public. (Only available in Japanese)
Extension lecture & workshop
“The world ballet school series”
The Royal Ballet School
Extension lecture
“Becoming the Principal”
Lecturer : Miyako Yoshida
Other research and education institutions
Research Center for the Performing Arts Policies
Launched in January 2013, Research Center for the Performing Arts Policies at Showa University of Music aims to promote research and dissemination of policies for the performing arts and arts management. Keeping close contacts with relevant communities and agencies, we are committed to contribute to the development of performing arts in Japan by collecting and analyzing valuable information from professional standpoint. We continue to expand our research activities focusing on policy proposals and projects commissioned by nation, local governments and public interest corporations.
- Art Song Institute
- Arts Management Research Institute
- Music Therapy Institute
- Music Education Research Institute
- Period Music Institute
- Affiliated Music and Ballet Schools
Piano Art Academy
Piano Art Academy was established with the aim to nurture musicians. We provide comprehensive education for young pianists in developing technique and art istry whi lecultivating their individual personality with its unique curriculum and enriching performance opportunities.
Students have been winners of international piano competitions and pursue professional career in music.
Competition Awards
- The Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition (Israel)
［3rd Prize & Classical Concerto Prize］Yukine Kuroki（17th edition in 2023） - Liszt Utrecht (the Netherlands)
［1st Prize］ Yukine Kuroki（13rd edition in 2022） - International Franz Liszt Piano Competition (the Netherlands）（the former name of Liszt Utrecht）
［1st Prize & Audience Award］Masataka Goto（9th edition in 2011） - Dublin International Piano Competition (Ireland)
［1st Prize (the first Japanese to win the prize)］ Yukine Kuroki (12th edition in 2022)
［2nd Prize (the first Japanese to win the prize)］ Yasuko Furumi (12th edition in 2022)
［5th Prize］ Rina Sudo (7th edition in 2006) - Paderewski International Piano Competition (Poland)
［3rd Prize］Yasuko Furumi（11th edition in 2019）
［3rd Prize & Special Prize from the Mayor of Bydgoszcz］ Daiki Kato (9th edition in 2013) - Chopin Piano Competition (Poland)
［one of semifinalists］Yasuko Furumi (18th edition in 2021)
- e-Piano Junior Competition (USA)
[4th Prize] Misora Ozaki (in 2011) - Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists (Germany)
[5th Prize, A Category] Misora Ozaki (in 2008)
[3rd Prize, B Category] Daiki Kato (in 2009) - Hamamatsu International Piano Competition
［2nd Prize , Audience Prize & Mayor of Warsaw Prize］ Tomoharu Ushida（10th edition in 2018） - Hamamatsu International Piano Academy Competition
［2nd Prize］Yasuko Furumi （20th edition in 2016）
［3rd Prize］Misora Ozaki（20th edition in 2016） - Takamatsu International Piano Competiton
［1st Prize（the first Japanese to win the prize）,Best Performance of Commissioned Piece & many other awards］Yasuko Furumi （4th edition in 2018） - Hilton Head International Piano Competition （USA）
［3rd Prize］ Rina Sudo (in 2010) - International Chopin Piano Competition in ASIA
［Gold Prize , Junior High School Category］Misora Ozaki （10th edition in 2009）, Moka Takubo (15th edition in 2014)
［Gold Prize , High School Category］Yui Nakamura (14th edition in 2013), Yasuko Furumi (15th edition in 2014)
［Gold Prize , Video Audition, University Category］Kana Yoshihara (23rd edition in 2022)
［Gold Prize , General Category］ Fuyuko Nakamura (15th edition in 2014)
［Gold Prize ¸Concerto B Category］Sako Kotakejima (13rd edition in 2012), Yasuko Furumi (14th edition in 2013), Yukine Kuroki (15th edition in 2014), Saya Kamada (23rd edition in 2022)
［Gold Prize , Concerto C Category］Fuyuko Nakamura (11th edition in 2010), Sako Kotakejima (14th edition in 2013), Yui Nakamura (15th edition in 2014)
［Gold Prize , Professional Category］Misora Ozaki (15th edition in 2014), Yui Nakamura (18th edition in 2017), Yukine Kuroki (19th edition in 2018), Yasuko Furumi (20th edition in 2019),Moka Takubo (23rd edition in 2022), Kana Yoshihara (24th edition in 2023) ,Saya Kamada (25th edition in 2024) -
International Chopin Competition on Period Instruments
［one of semifinalists］Saya Kamada (2nd edition in 2023)
- International Balys Dvarionas Competition for Young Pianists and Violinists (Lithuania)
[C Group Grand Prix & the special prize for a piece by B. Dvarionas］ Yukine Kuroki (10th edition in 2016)
[B Group Grand Prix] Yukine Kuroki (9th edition in 2012)
[C Group Winner] Misora Ozaki (9th edition in 2012) - Hanoi International Piano Competition（Vietnam）
［1st Prize, Category A & Best Chopin Player Award］ Yukine Kuroki (1st edition in 2010)
［2nd Prize, Category C & Best Classical Music Player Award］ Fuyuko Nakamura (2nd edition in 2012)
［2nd Prize, Category C & Best Classical Music Player Award］ Yui Nakamura (3rd edition in 2015) - Moscow International Frederick Chopin Competition for Young Pianists (Russia)
［3rd Prize］ Misora Ozaki (8th edition in 2012) - Tokyo Music Competition Piano Section
［1st Prize & Audience Award］ Daiki Kato (7th edition in 2009)
- PTNA Piano Competition National Competition
［Grand Prize, Superior Grade］Misora Ozaki (40th edition in 2016)
［Silver Prize, Superior Grade］Yukine Kuroki (43rd edition in 2019), Yuno Mitsui (47th edition in 2023)
［Bronze Prize, Superior Grade］Yasuko Furumi (42nd edition in 2018)
［Gold Prize, Pre-Superior Grade］Kana Yoshihara (44th edition in 2020)
［Silver Prize, Pre-Superior Grade］Moka Takubo (45th edition in 2021)
［Gold Prize, Grade G］ Sako Kotakejima (38th edition in 2014), Yasuko Furumi (40th edition in 2016), Yukine Kuroki (41st edition in 2017)
［Silver Prize, Grade G］Yui Nakamura (37th edition in 2013), Kana Yoshihara (40th edition in 2016), Yuno Mitsui (44th edition in 2020)
［Gold Prize, Grade Jr.G］ Misora Ozaki (34th edition in 2010), Moka Takubo (40th edition in 2016)
［Gold Prize, Grade F］Fuyuko Nakamura (31st edition in 2007)
［Silver Prize, Grade F］Kensei Iwafune (47th edition in 2023)
［Gold Prize, Concerto Category, Grade Concerto B］Yasuko Furumi (40th edition in 2016) - European International Piano Concours in Japan
［Gold Prize, Junior High School Category & Special Jury Prize］ Mone Zaima (9th edition in 2018)
［Gold Prize, Junior Grade II Category］ Yui Nakamura (2nd edition in 2011) - ASEAN International Concerto Competition （Indonesia）
［1st Prize］ Daiki Kato (5th edition in 2012) - International Competition for Young Pianists“Astana Piano Passion” (Kazakhstan)
［1st Prize, Junior Category］ Yukine Kuroki (1st edition in 2013)
［3rd Prize, Senior Category］ Yui Nakamura (1st edition in 2013) - Osaka International Music Competition
［Espoir Prize, Piano Section, Age-E3］Ayano Yoneda (22nd edition in 2021) - Yasuko Fukuda Scholarship Audition
［Yasuko Fukuda Prize (1st Prize)］Yasuko Furumi, Yukine Kuroki (7th edition in 2015) - Kanagawa Music Competition
［Grand Prize, Youth Piano Section, Upper Grades of elementary school Category］Ayano Yoneda (38th edition in 2022)
［Grand Prize, Youth Piano Section, C Category］Moka Takubo (29th edition in 2013)
［Grand Prize, Youth Piano Section, High School Category］Yasuko Furumi (31st edition in 2015)
［Outstanding Performance Award, Youth Piano Section, High School Category］Moka Takubo (35th edition in 2019) - JPTA Piano Audition
［Winner, Category D］Hikari Matsushita (38th edition in 2022)
［Grand Prize, Category D & Kazuko Hagiwara Award］Yui Nakamura (32nd edition in 2016) - Nagoya Youth Piano Competition
［2nd Prize, University Category, 2nd Prize Overall & Mayor of Nagoya Award］Yuno Mitsui (8th edition in 2022) - Aoniyoshi Music Competition in Nara
［1st Prize, Professional Stage Category, Piano Section & Mayor of Nara Award］Kana Yoshihara (7th edition in 2019) - Takarazuka Vega Student Piano Competition
［1st Prize, Junior High School Category］Kana Yoshihara (14th edition in 2015) - Gunma International Music Competition
［3rd Prize, Category D］Kensei Iwafune (1st edition in 2023)