A variety of music events are held in Kurashiki throughout the year, and many music-related civic groups are also active here.
The Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra has long been cherished for continuing to perform fine classical music in music-filled Kurashiki. Each spring, the orchestra holds the “Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra Concert” as part of the Kurashiki Music Festival.
The tagline for the 2026 concert is “A Musical Story That Connects Hearts.”
What kind of stage will they present with a performance combining classical music and musical theater?
Here we introduce the highlights of the Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra Concert, which heralds the arrival of spring, along with the pieces to be performed.
The information presented here is current as of when this article was published in March 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What Is the “Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra Concert”?
The Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra Concert will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at Kurashiki Civic Hall as one of the performances of the 40th Kurashiki Music Festival, held every spring.
The Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra performing at the concert is a community orchestra established in 1974.
With the motto “High-quality performances with beautiful tones and fine ensemble playing,” it brings excellent classical music to the people of Kurashiki. Around 90 members practice daily in preparation for the spring Kurashiki Music Festival and their annual concert held in summer.
The highlight of the 2026 Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra Concert is its collaboration between classical music and musical theater.
Joining the concert as guests are soprano Hanaoka Hisako, who performed with the Shiki Theatre Company, and the Kurashiki Children's Choir, which was a huge hit in a previous collaboration. They will deliver performances that draw audiences into the world of each piece.
Tickets can be reserved online through the Ars Kurashiki Ticket Center.
In addition, up to 500 elementary and junior high school students who live or attend school in Kurashiki City can attend the concert for free, on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are interested, please apply using the application form.
We spoke with Yayoi Nishijima, public relations representative for the Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra, about the concert.
Interview with the Organizer
Could you tell us about the program?
Nishijima (honorific omitted)
The first half features two pieces performed by the orchestra alone.
They are familiar classical masterpieces that you may have heard before, including a piece used in a SoftBank commercial. We’ll deliver a powerful performance unique to an orchestra, with sound that you can feel all around you.
The second half is a collaborative performance with Hanaoka Hisako, a former member of the Shiki Theatre Company, and the Kurashiki Children's Choir, who were very well received when we performed together last time, in 2025. We’ll perform familiar pieces, including a medley of Disney classics such as “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “Mickey Mouse March,” as well as famous songs from the musical “Les Misérables.”
It sounds fun to hear familiar pieces performed live by an orchestra. Could you tell us a little about why you chose some of the pieces?
Nishijima
“Symphonic Dances” from West Side Story, in the first half, is an energetic piece that blends jazz and Latin rhythms with classical music. It is very difficult to perform, but it is also a piece that our members, led by our conductor, have long wanted to try. We’re taking on the challenge this time.
A wide range of percussion instruments, including timbales, guiro, and maracas, feature in the piece, and we hope you’ll enjoy the variety of sounds.
For the second half, we chose pieces that everyone from young children to older adults can enjoy. They all let you experience the worlds of their stories.
“Do You Hear the People Sing?” from Les Misérables is a powerful piece depicting the oppressed citizens of the time bravely moving forward. We chose it with the hope that it will give everyone who hears it even a little encouragement.
What are the highlights?
Nishijima
The first half features a “Romeo and Juliet: Old vs. New” showdown.
Both Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story are tragic love stories that represent their respective eras, but even though both are tragic romances, I think the mood and feel of the music differ. We hope you’ll enjoy comparing the two pieces.
The highlight of the second half is an arrangement created for this one day only, which you can hear only at the Kurashiki Music Festival. Conductor Sato Masatoshi has arranged it especially for this occasion. Along with the precious voice of former Shiki Theatre Company performer Hanaoka, we’ll deliver a powerful performance that will make you feel as if you’re in a theater in the musical’s home country.
What led to the collaboration with musical theater?
Nishijima
To talk about the history of the Kurashiki Music Festival, it began in 1987 to mark the 20th anniversary of the founding of the new city, following the 1967 merger of Tamashima City and Kojima City with Kurashiki City. Originally, performances were given by a professional orchestra called the Festival Orchestra, but the Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra took over partway through and has performed every year since.
As a community orchestra, we have created performances with many community musicals and ballet companies over the years. In particular, performances featuring children give the children who take part a great sense of confidence, and I think they remain in their hearts as irreplaceable experiences.
To mark the 40th Kurashiki Music Festival in 2026, we decided to perform together with the Kurashiki Children's Choir so that we could present a dazzling and moving stage.
Who would you like to come and listen?
Nishijima
We’ll be performing pieces that people have probably heard at least once on television or in music class, so I think even those who aren’t familiar with classical music will enjoy them. We hope people of all ages will come.
Do you have a message for our readers?
Nishijima
As this is a milestone—the 40th Kurashiki Music Festival—we’re working together as an orchestra to create a concert that can be enjoyed with all five senses: not only heard, but also seen and felt through the vibrations of the music.
We’ll be performing famous pieces that I’m sure you all know, with special arrangements for this one day only. We’d be delighted if you came to listen.
I think it will be a spectacular performance combining the powerful playing of our orchestra with the professional soprano voice of Hanaoka and the clear singing of the children in the choir. Please feel free to come along!
From the Writer
The writer has heard the Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra perform in the past.
Even though I rarely listen to classical music, I found the sound of each instrument pleasant and clear. I remember being surprised and thinking, “I can hear a performance this close to the quality of professionals right here!”
At the Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra Concert, I’m especially looking forward to seeing how famous movies and plays are expressed through an orchestra. With live singing added to the powerful performance, I imagine it will give me goosebumps.
The program is enjoyable for all ages, so be sure to bring your children along to the venue.
40th Kurashiki Music Festival: Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra Concert Information
| Name | 40th Kurashiki Music Festival: Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra Concert |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, March 15, 2026 Concert begins at 3:00 p.m. (doors open at 2:00 p.m.) |
| Location | 17-1 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | General: 1,500 yen University students and younger: 500 yen Up to 500 elementary and junior high school students from Kurashiki City may attend for free, on a first-come, first-served basis. *Advance application required |
| Website | Kurashiki Symphony Orchestra Website |
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