Seiji Ozawa in conversation with Daishin Kashimoto (14 min.)

The multi-national make-up of the Berliner Philharmoniker means that international guest soloists and conductors regularly encounter fellow countrymen within the ranks of the orchestra. As a result, interviews such as this one from April 2016 with Seiji Ozawa and Daishin Kashimoto, 1st concertmaster of the Philharmoniker, can be conducted in the guest’s native language, in this case Japanese. Ozawa had returned to the podium of the orchestra to conduct two works by Ludwig van Beethoven after recovering from a serious illness. In the interview, he talks about his debut with the orchestra in 1966 and his close association with Herbert von Karajan who intensively supported the young musician. Kashimoto also talks about how happy the orchestra members are to be able to play with the newly appointed honorary member of the Berliner Philharmoniker after a seven-year break.