From Ambassador

The Japanese ambassador‘s residence, in which I am currently living, was built for a world famous pianist and conductor, Vladimir Ashkenazy, in 1972. Mr. Ashkenazy lived in the house until he moved to Switzerland in 1978 and many Icelanders recognize this house as the “Ashkenazy house”.

I had an opportunity to invite Mr. and Mrs. Ashkenazy to lunch at the residence recently, when he was visiting Iceland to perform at the Harpa concert hall. Mr. Ashkenazy is originally from former Soviet Union but got married to an Icelandic woman and eventually became an Icelandic citizen. While being very successful internationally, Mr. Ashkenazy has contributed a great deal to the Icelandic music community by instructing the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, supporting the construction of the Harpa concert hall and more. Even after he moved to Switzerland, many Icelanders respect him as a national treasure.
 
On the other hand, Mr. Ashkenazy and Japan share a long and deep relationship. According to Mr. Ashkenazy, ever since he visited Japan in 1965 for the first time, he visits Japan almost every year and has travelled all over Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa. He conducted at the regularly scheduled performance by the NHK Symphony Orchestra for the first time in 2000 and served as the music director from 2004 to 2007. Even after his retirement, he has been actively involved as the conductor laureate of the Orchestra. Additionally, he has a thorough knowledge of the Japanese food and has told me that once he starts eating sushi, he cannot stop. When asked to name one favourite pianist, both Mr. and Mrs. Ashkenazy agreed that “Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii is outstanding!”
 
According to Ms. Arna Kristín Einarsdóttir, Managing Director of the Icelandic Symphony who attended the lunch along with Mr. and Mrs. Ashkenazy at the residence, the Orchestra is looking into the possibility of performing in over 10 cities in Japan in the latter part of 2018, as the first big tour overseas after the financial crisis, possibly with the piano performance by Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii and Mr. Ashkenazy as a conductor.
 
The lunch at the residence was a great opportunity for me to wish for the realization of the concert tour, which would open up a new chapter in the history of music exchange between Iceland and Japan, as well as to express my sincere respect and gratitude to Mr. Ashkenazy who has been contributing immensely to the strengthening of the two countries' ties further.