Idemitsu Music Award
What is the Idemitsu Music Award?
The Idemitsu Music Award was established in 1990 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of "Untitled Concert Concert," which began broadcasting in 1964. This award supports promising young and up-and-coming musicians as a way to help improve Japan's music culture. As of the 34th award, 118 individuals and groups have been awarded the award. Our company regards "culture," which fosters spiritual richness, as one of the pillars of our corporate citizenship activities, and we will continue to weave the history of the Idemitsu Music Award, which connects people and the next generation.
34th Idemitsu Music Award Winners
©Kei Osada
Mayumi Kanagawa
Violinist
Yo Kitamura
Cellist
©FUKAYA/auraY2
Naoki Miyasato
Tenor
Comments from the winners
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Mayumi Kanagawa (Violinist)
In a world of constant change, I want to be a presence that connects tradition and evolution, individual exploration and the wider web of society. I am grateful that there is still an infinite world to discover through the story of music, and I would be happy to use this prestigious award to continue on that path. -
Yo Kitamura (Cellist)
I am truly grateful for receiving this honorable award. To live is to share. I would like to continue learning so that I can face the soul of the composer and connect people across borders. -
Naoki Miyasato (Tenor)
I am grateful to receive this honorable award and feel humbled. I want to remain true to music, just as I have always been, and will continue to do so in the future. I will continue to devote myself to becoming a musician who can inspire and inspire people through the music I love.
The 34th Idemitsu Music Awards Ceremony and Gala Concert
The 34th award ceremony and a commemorative concert for the winners (gala concert) will be held at Showa Women's University Hitomi Memorial Hall on January 21, 2026.
In the "Close-up Report on the Award Winners (TV Asahi Post)" below, you can see interviews with the three award winners after they finished performing, as well as with the selection committee members who were present at the event.
Broadcast date of this concert: Saturday, February 28, 2026, 10:00-10:30 AM on TV Asahi's "Untitled Concert Concert"
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Broadcast times vary by region. For details,To the program's official website
Close-up Report on the award winners (TV Asahi POST)
Past winners of the Idemitsu Music Award
Selection Overview
| Purpose and Content | Three to five up-and-coming musicians who have demonstrated outstanding achievements throughout the year will be selected and awarded the prize. Each winner will receive a prize of 3 million yen. |
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| Selection Criteria | ・From a development perspective, we place emphasis on motivation, talent, and future potential, rather than simply on the level of completion. ・In principle, the award will be open to applicants in the fields of composition, performance, academic research, etc. in the classical music category, but the selection process will be flexible. ・In principle, recipients must be up to 30 years of age and primarily be musicians living and active in Japan. |
| Selection Process | As part of the preliminary selection process, a recommendation committee will recommend candidates. The selection committee will select the candidates from the preliminary selection process and the Board of Directors will approve them. |
| Selection Committee | Shinichiro Ikebe (Composer)
Kazushi Ishida (Music critic) Yoshio Unno (violin) Kaori Kimura (piano) Toshimitsu Kimura (vocals) <Japanese syllabic order> |
(Reference)
*For details on the winners and the Idemitsu Music Awards, please refer to the press release "The 34th Idemitsu Music Awards" below.
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The 34th Idemitsu Music Awards winners announced
https://www.idemitsu.com/jp/news/2024/250324.pdf -
The 34th Idemitsu Music Awards Laureates Gala Concert
https://www.idemitsu.com/jp/news/2025/251219_2.pdf