11th KIFC: Notice of Change of Jury and performers for “Special Night Gala”
We regret to inform you that Ms. Yumiko Sakuma, originally scheduled to serve as a jury member for the 11th Kobe International Flute Competition, has had to withdraw due to personal reasons.
In her place, Mr. Hiroaki Kanda will serve as a jury member.
We would also like to inform you that Ms. Sakuma will no longer be performing in the “11th Kobe International Flute Competition Special Night Gala” on Friday, September 5.
Hiroaki KANDA
Principal Flutist of the NHK Symphony Orchestra, Professor at Toho Gakuen School of Music, Hiroaki Kanda studied at Tokyo University of the Arts and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. In 1991, he won First Prize at both the 5th Japan Flute Con-vention’s Competition and the 8th Japan Wind and Percussion Competition. He studied under Keiichi Akahoshi, Chang-Kook Kim, Junzo Hosokawa, Wolfgang Schulz, and Hansgeorg Schmeiser. He is a Special Director of the Japan Flutists Association and Ex-ecutive Director of the Asia Flutists Federation Tokyo. He has served as a jury member for numerous competitions both in Japan and abroad. As a soloist, he has performed concertos with the NHK Symphony Orchestra, including Mozart’s concertos under the baton of Ton Koopman. The author of Jotatsu-no Kihon Flute (Basis of Improvement: Flute) by Ongaku no Tomo Sha, he has also released CDs and published many arrangements for flute ensemble.
The 11th Kobe International Flute Competition
Jury Member
Hideaki SAKAI, Silvia CAREDDU, Michael FAUST, Renate GREISS-ARMIN, Timothy HUTCHINS, Hiroaki KANDA, Andrea LIEBERKNECHT, Andrea OLIVA, PIAO Meixiang
Click here for the bios of each judge.
The 11th Kobe International Flute Competition
Special Night Gala Concert
Dates & Times: Friday, September 5, 2025 starts at 7:00 PM
Venue: Kobe Bunka Hall, Main Hall
Performers: Jury members of the 11th Kobe International Flute Competition
Tickets: All seats reserved / S seats: 3,500 yen, A seats: 2,500 yen, U25 (25 years old and under) : 1,000 yen
For more details, please click here.