Yori-Aki Matsudaira elected ISCM Honorary Member

Yori-Aki Matsudaira (1931- ) was the President of the Japanese Section from 1998 to 2002. As you may remember, in 2001, he successfully organized the World Music Days in Yokohama, and in the Festival, he was also the chair of the Juries to select the pieces from every sections. He participated the General Assembly of ISCM 7 times, that is, in 1966, 1987, 1991, 1994, 1999, 2000 and 2001 as the First Delegate, and in 1972, 2007 as the Second Delegate, respectively. In particular, in 1987 he was selected the member of the working group “For the Tasks and Functions” and the vote teller.His 9 pieces were selected for the ISCM Festival (now World Music Days), in 1958, 67, 69, 72, 75, 84, 87, 91 and 93. Otherwise, his 3 pieces were performed in the Festivals of 1973, 85, and 2001. He is working as the Director for International Business of Japanese Section and has responsibility to contact with the ISCM Executive Committee and each Sections, or Associate Members. And as a link of the chain of it, he organizes the Concert “Window opened to the World – Focused on the World Music Days” in the concert series “Exhibition of Contemporary Music” for every year. In this year, the 30th concert “Windows opened to the World” was held.
Yori-Aki Matsudaira was born on 27 March 1931 in Tokyo, Japan. He studied biology at Tokyo Metropolitan University and the postgraduate course (1948-57) and obtained the degree of Doctor of Science. He is self-taught in both piano and composition. Now, he is teaching the theory of contemporary music at Tokyo Junshin Womens College, as the Guest Professor.
He has composed about 150 pieces for the all categories of music: from orchestra, instrumental ensemble, solo, vocal, choral, ethnic, electro-acoustic including computer to theatrical. These pieces, which include many of the commissioned works, are performed in abroad, for example the ISCM Festivals, the Autumn of Warsaw, etc. as well as the domestic concerts as JSCM concerts, Japan-German Contemporary Music Festival, Cross Talk Festival, Music Today, A Profile of a Composer in Suntory Hall and so on. He is actively composing.
Prizes: He obtained the 1st Rosche Music Prize, 1967, The 3rd Kazimierz Serocki International Composers Competition, Moeck Verlag Special Prize, 1981, The 3rd Prize of the International Wind Ensemble/Concert Band Composition Contest, Harelbeke Town of Music 2006, The Purple Ribbon Medal, 1998 from Japanese Government and The Order of the Rising Sun with the Star and the small Ribbon, 2004 from Japanese Government, and The 24th Nakajima Kenzo Music Prize, 2006 etc.www.komp.jp