ウィーンで世界的音楽家を多数輩出した名教師 湯浅勇治氏の遺産継承へ

There isn’t a classical musician in Vienna who does not know the name of Yuji Yuasa.

 

Throughout his 30-year career as a professor in orchestral conducting at one of the most prestigious music schools in the world, he gained a reputation for his sophisticated and stringent teaching style, and nurtured numerous world-class orchestral conductors, including Kirill Petrenko, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, and Marie Jacquot (principal conductor of the Royal Danish Opera). More recent talents include the award-winning pianist Kyohei Sorita, who also studied conducting under Yuji.

 

(Left: Yuji Yuasa, Right: Seiji Ozawa / A scene at Rohm Music Foundation 2013)

 

In his later years, he had to retire early from his professorship due to health complications, but he still continued to give weekly private lessons both in Vienna and Japan, and was enthusiastic about carrying on the tradition of classical music and fostering younger generations.

 

Known affectionately as Yuji, he was loved by many of his students. When he passed away on December 17th, 2022, the unexpected news sent shockwaves throughout the entire classical community, and his death received wide attention from media outlets around the world. ("Obituary: Professor & Conductor Yuji Yuasa Dies at 77" click here) 

"By the way, my music collection includes over 15,000 CDs, 300 opera DVDs, 12,000 records, 8,000 cassette tapes, 1,000 open-reel tapes, 1,000 music books, 7,000 orchestral scores and 1,000 mp3 recordings. I started to record radio stations when I was in my first year of junior high school, and I am still recording classical programs on Austrian Radio, Radio Stephan, Bavaria 4, NHK-FM, and New York and Boston FM stations on a daily basis. My home is like a warehouse!"　(Yuji Yuasa)

＜ Target Amount ＞

3.0 million yen / c.$20,000

＜ Use of funds ＞

- Cleaning and moving expenses (already incurred) ・・・€3,400.
- Rent for temporary storage of Yuji's belongings (already paid + future rent) ・・・€13,750.
- Maintenance expenses, including labor for digitization and disposal of the items・・・$3,000.
- Reward costs (e.g. wine, shipping costs, etc.)・・・$10 per person (on average)
- Crowdfunding fees + Sales tax・・・18.7% of total amount raised
- Other・・・e.g. Payment for workshop speakers

＜ Reward Packages  ＞ 

- "Thank You" Email・・・for All donors
- Gain Access to the Copyright-Free Sheet Music which contains Dr. Yuasa's Notes・・・ for $50+ donors
- Postcards and Concert Videos (performed by the members of Koala no Kai) ・・・ for $300+ donors
- 50 randomly allocated CDs (from Dr. Yuasa's collection) ・・・ for $800+ donors
- Invitation to an Orchestral Concert at Wiener Musikverein (with Invitation to the Leopold Museum)・・・ for $3,000+ donors

※These options are subject to the donation amount. If you want to receive any of these rewards, please donate a certain amount exceeding the requirement and register your email-address via the payment process.

- Payee name: Wiener Koalano Kai

- Payee address: Lerchenfelder Strasse 62-64/14 , (city) Vienna (postcode) 1080, (country) Austria

- Payee account number (IBAN): AT072011184513679500

- Bank code (BIC): GIBAATWWXXX

- Currency: Euro or USD

- Bank name: Erste Bank

- Bank Address: Linke Wienzeile 10, 1060, Wien P

- Purpose of transfer: Donation for Non-profit Organization

*Please note that you are responsible for any remittance fees that may be incurred*

B.A. (Conducting) at Tokyo University of the Arts. / M.A. (Conducting) at Music and Arts University of the city of Vienna. Currently majoring in M.A. (Korrepetitor) at Music and Arts University of the city of Vienna.

＜Message＞

I still remember the day when I first met Dr. Yuji Yuasa ten years ago. I was absolutely taken by his charisma and immediately decided to study under him, to pursue my career as an orchestral conductor. I was privileged to be able to study under him in Vienna for the last three years, and I would like to share what I learned from him with as many people as possible through this crowdfunding project. I would appreciate your support to create a better future together for the entire classical music world.

B.A. (Music Science) at Tokyo University of the Arts. Currently majoring in M.A. (Conducting) at Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts.

＜メッセージ＞

Thank you for stopping by our crowdfunding page. Dr. Yuasa was thoroughly committed to passing on the tradition of classical music for many years in Vienna. His scores leave us many clues into his trial and error process of analyzing music, and the analog sounds of his records are filled with nostalgia, all of which left me determined to protect these precious assets in any way possible. Through digitization, we hope to share his legacy with you all. We thank you for all the support you can provide.

B.A. (Economics) at Keio University. / M.A. (Music Business) at Berklee College of Music. Currently full-time MBA student at Columbia Business School / part-time student (Extension Program/Piano) at The Juilliard School.

＜Message＞

Thank you so much for your interest in our project. Almost two decades ago, I came across Yuji's name for the first time in Seiji Ozawa's autobiography, and ever since, Yuji has always been a legendary figure to me. I was lucky enough to meet him two years ago, but since his passing I have found it hard to express my grief. Now I'm motivated to make a positive impact on the future of the classical music industry through this crowdfunding project. I’d really appreciate your kind support and thank you so much for your cooperation!

＜Message（English）＞

Shortly after accepting the invitation to the Wiener Koala Society, I heard the news of Dr. Yuasa Yuji's death and was completely at a loss for words. At the same time, I learned the existence of Yuji’s vast collection of sheet music and CDs through an e-mail from one of my pupils, Horie-san.

In this age of the Internet, everything is downloaded and digitized, which I think is sometimes an unforgiving time for artists. The legacy of Yuji is something invaluable and irreplaceable, and therefore I am deeply moved by the volunteers who take initiative to preserve his precious assets. I believe their efforts must have been and will be extraordinary.

I am sure that Yuji is now watching over us from the other side of the river and would be sincerely grateful for our efforts.

I am also sure that this project is very important for future generation of classical musicians, so that they can study the tradition from these materials. As a musician myself, I would like to support this wonderful, meaningful project.

 

Sincerely,

Rainer Küchl - The former 1st concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

＜Message (in Deutsch)＞

CROWDFUNDING PROJEKT Betreffend die Verlassenschaft von Yuji Yuasa, Dirigent und Pädagoge in Wien
Yuji Yuasa war nicht nur ein begabter Dirigent, sondern vor allem ein hervorragender und leidenschaftlicher Lehrer für Generationen von Musikstudenten und –studentinnen in Japan, international, aber vor allem in seiner Wahlheimatstadt Wien.Tragischerweise ist er plötzlich und allzu früh von uns gegangen: am 17. 12. 2022, 66-jährig. Er blickte noch auf ein längeres Leben und Wirken, und deshalb traf ihn der Tod unvorbereitet in der Fülle seines Lebens. Unglaublich viele Vinylplatten, Cds, andere Tonträger sowie Partituren und viele andere Dokumente sind nach seinem plötzlichen Tod auf uns gekommen. Die schiere Masse an Gegenstäden hat uns zuerst in Panik versetzt, wie man damit einfach materiell-quantitativ zurande kommen könnte, dann aber in eine Planungsphase gestürzt – die nicht lange dauern darf, denn seine Mietwohnung muss demnächst leergeräumt werden.Wir wollen Yuasa Senseis Hinterlassenschaft aufheben, dauerhaft bewahren und einem interessierten Kreis zugänglich machen, damit Yuasa Senseis Intentionen weiterleben können. Dafür müssen wir erstens die Wohnung, die er fürs Leben wie fürs Arbeiten benützt hat, räumen, alle nutzbaren Dinge woanders unterbringen, sowohl temporär wie dann auch dauerhaft, um sie der Öffentlichkeit zur Verfügung zu stellen.Darüber hinaus ist an eine weitere Vermittlung durch emeritierte Professoren der Wiener Musikuniversitäten an interessierte, werdende DirigentInnen gedacht – Workshops, Seminare, Individualunterricht in dem Rahmen, in dem wir auch Yuasa Senseis Dinge unterbringen.Wir bitten herzlich um materielle Unterstützung bei diesem idealistischen und künstlerischen Vorhaben!

 

Diethard Leopold

 

(in English / Summary)

 

【CROWDFUNDING PROJECT for Yuji Yuasa】
Yuji Yuasa was not only a talented conductor, but above all an outstanding and passionate music teacher. Tragically, he passed away suddenly and all too soon on December 17, 2022, at the age of 66. He had a long career plan ahead of him, so death was totally unexpected for him. After his sudden death, an incredible number of vinyl records, CDs, other sound carriers, scores and many other documents were found. We were overwelmed by the mind boggling amount of music assets, but didn't have enough time since his apartment and belongings were going to be disposed of very soon.
Thourgh this project, we want to save Yuji Yuasa's legacy, preserve it permanently and make it accessible to an interested circle so that Yuji's intentions can live on. Firstly, we need to clear out the apartment, move all usable items elsewhere, and make them available to the public. Secondly, we are also thinking of inviting emeritus professors from Viennese music universities to teach the donators who are studying orchestra-conducting, through workshops, seminars, individual lessons - as the same way as Yuji Yuasa did for his students.