Toshio Hosokawa - Futari Shizuka; Ceremony (Jun Märkl)

Information

Composer: Toshio Hosokawa

• Ceremony
• Futari Shizuka – The Maiden from the Sea

Ilse Eerens, soprano

Ryoko Aoki, Noh singer

Mario Caroli, flutes & piccolo

Residentie Orkest The Hague

Jun Märkl, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: Naxos

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The distinguished Japanese composer, Toshio Hosokawa, has been honoured with numerous awards as well as a steady stream of commissions and acclaimed performances. As with many of Hosokawa’s concertos, Ceremony sees the flute soloist as a ‘person’ and the orchestra as the ‘universe and nature’ – the flautist’s breath echoing like the winds of nature and becoming a song that awakens the spirits. A complimentary work to Hosokawa’s The Raven, Futari Shizuka – The Maiden from the Sea is a single-act opera, the ancient tragic tale of which resonates with the fate of refugees around the world today.

Jun Märkl (b. 1959) is a distinguished conductor known for his interpretations of German repertoire and French Impressionism. He is currently music director of the Taiwan National Symphony and Indianapolis Symphony, and chief conductor of the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague. With a strong background in opera, he has worked with major houses including Vienna, Berlin, and the Metropolitan Opera. Märkl has held leadership roles with orchestras in Lyon, Leipzig, and Malaysia, and frequently guest conducts top international ensembles. He has over 55 recordings and was awarded France’s Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He is also dedicated to music education and youth orchestras.