Department of Music Professor Mieko Hironaka Bergt to Perform at Japan’s Daikokuya
February 20, 2023
Mieko Hironaka Bergt, adjunct professor of piano in the Department of Music, will perform with violinist Takashi Aoki on Sunday, Feb. 26. The performance will take place in Nasu, Japan at the Daikokuya.
The Daikokuya is a 472-year-old Japanese style historical hotel located in the mountains about 80 miles north of Tokyo. The hotel features a different concert each month. Bergt and Aoki’s concert, titled “Listening to the Sound,” will be the 230th concert to take place in the Daikokuya.
"Words cannot describe how beautiful the surrounding area is," said Bergt. "People enjoy nature, hot springs, delicious food, art and music. We’re thrilled and honored to be invited once again to perform in this incredible venue!"
Aoki is the current concertmaster of Orchestra Japan and professor of violin at Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo. He served as the concertmaster of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra for 25 years.
Aoki and Bergt studied and played together at Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo. They released the album "Poésie" in February 2022. The album received the Critic’s Choice of the Month award from the notable classical music magazine “Record Geijyutsu.”
"I deeply appreciate the support given by Webster University towards the Adjunct Faculty Development Fund for the recital that Takashi and I performed in summer 2022 in Tokyo, Japan to commemorate our album," said Bergt.
Bergt and Aoki’s 2023 concert, “Listening to the Sound,” will feature music by famous composers Antonín Dvořák, Josef Suk, Amy Beach, and Johannes Brahms.
A recording of Aoki and Bergt performing together can be found on YouTube.