Japanese Violinist Nakamura Wins Johannes Brahms Competition

Berlin, Sept. 8 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Daichi Nakamura won the first prize in the violin category at the International Johannes Brahms Competition in Poertschach, southern Austria, on Friday. "I am relieved now," Nakamura, 27, who is originally from Kitakyushu in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Fukuoka and currently lives in the Austrian capital of Vienna, told the press. He added that he wants to perform in a manner that would reflect the intentions of composers as much as possible. Nakamura has performed with numerous orchestras both inside and outside of Japan, including the Kyushu Symphony Orchestra, based in the city of Fukuoka, when he was nine years old. He has also been invited to many music festivals and currently performs mainly in Europe and Japan. Separately, Japan's Wataru Hisasue won third place in the piano category at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich, Germany. During the final round, Hisasue, 23, who is from Otsu in the western prefecture of Shiga and now lives in Freiburg, Germany, played Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. Previously, Hisasue won first place in competitions including the Lyon International Piano Contest. Hisasue is also participating in concerts both in Japan and overseas. END