August 30th Event: Artoone! Members Appear in "What is Contemporary Music?" Talk Live with Experts and Geidai Students (with Live Performance)

The appeal of "contemporary music," full of stimulation and creativity, will be explored by members of the creator group "Artoone!" (graduates of Tokyo University of the Arts) and musicologist Miyuki Shiraishi through talks and live performances. Following the talk live, head to the 36th Yasushi Akutagawa Suntory Prize Composition Competition Concert. Experience the contemporary music of today's most talked-about young composers live and witness the moment the "Akutagawa Prize" of the music world is decided!

Suntory Hall will host the talk live "What is Contemporary Music?" on August 30, 2026 (Sun), a theme centered on contemporary music.

This talk live is a pre-event to the "36th Yasushi Akutagawa Suntory Prize Composition Competition Concert" to be held on August 30 (Sun), the final day of the contemporary music festival "Suntory Hall Summer Festival 2026," which Suntory Hall will hold from August 22 (Sat) to August 30 (Sun), 2026.

Members of the creator group "Artoone!," graduates of Tokyo University of the Arts, will unravel the charm and fun of contemporary music with musicologist Miyuki Shiraishi, who specializes in contemporary music.

"Contemporary music" is sometimes said to be difficult or incomprehensible.

Its creators do not necessarily seek empathy from those around them at the time of the work's announcement. Because they aim to create something entirely new at that moment, they create with the belief that it will eventually be recognized over time.

It may be natural that many people cannot immediately empathize because it is too new for the current time.

Please enjoy encountering new creativity that you might not have encountered before through this contemporary music talk live.

After the talk live, head to the 36th Yasushi Akutagawa Suntory Prize Composition Competition Concert. After listening to live performances of the nominated works, which represent the cutting edge of contemporary music, you can also witness the public selection process for the "Akutagawa Yasushi Suntory Prize," also known as the "Akutagawa Prize" of the music world.

Witness the unknown!

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[Event Name] 36th Yasushi Akutagawa Suntory Prize Composition Competition Concert Pre-Event

"What is Contemporary Music?"

Talk Live with Experts and Geidai Students (Graduates) (with Live Performance)

[Date and Time/Venue]

August 30, 2026 (Sun) Starts at 15:30 (Doors open 14:30, Ends approx. 16:30)

Suntory Hall Blue Rose (Small Hall)

[Performers]

Shotaro Sanada (Painter), Koga Yano (Composition Department Student):

Members of the creator group "Artoone!," formed by graduates of Tokyo University of the Arts. They operate under the concept of "Making Art More Accessible."

Miyuki Shiraishi (Musicologist):

Specializes in "Contemporary Music." In addition to critical activities, she has appeared on NHK E-tele's "Gen Hoshino's Ongaku Koron" and other programs.

[Price] 3,800 yen (Set ticket for pre-event and composition competition concert)

Click here for ticket purchase and event details

https://www.suntory.co.jp/suntoryhall/schedule/detail/20260830_S_2.html

*This ticket is a set ticket for the pre-event and the 36th Yasushi Akutagawa Suntory Prize Composition Competition Concert (starts August 30 (Sun) at 17:00). The pre-event is not sold separately.

*The pre-event will be issued with reserved seating tickets (seat selection available), and the composition competition concert will be issued with an "exchange ticket." Please present your "exchange ticket" at the entrance of the pre-event to exchange it for reserved seating tickets (seat selection not available) for the composition competition concert.

*Reserved seating tickets for the composition competition concert cannot be selected or exchanged in advance. Please understand this in advance.

*E-tickets are not available.

[Ticket Handling]

Suntory Hall Ticket Center 0570-55-0017 (10:00-18:00, excluding holidays)

Suntory Hall Members Club WEB https://suntoryhall.pia.jp/

Ticket Pia https://t.pia.jp/

eplus https://eplus.jp/

*Please note that changes may occur. We appreciate your understanding.

*Preschool children are not permitted to attend.

Organizer: Suntory Hall

Cooperation: baton Inc.

[Performer Profiles]

"Artoone!"

An art creator group formed by graduates of Tokyo University of the Arts with the concept of "Making Art More Accessible." They disseminate entertainment content that allows people to experience the fun and depth of art, centered on fine arts and music. They launched a YouTube channel in August 2024 and have surpassed 190,000 subscribers as of June 2026.

https://baton8.com/creators/artoone

Shotaro Sanada

Graduated from the Department of Art, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts, and completed a Master's degree at the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, the University of Tokyo. As a painter, he has held solo exhibitions at GINZA SIX, department stores, and other venues. Selected as Best Debutant of the Year in 2025.

Koga Yano

Graduated from the Department of Composition, Faculty of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts, and is currently enrolled in the Graduate School of Music, Composition Major, Tokyo University of the Arts. A composer and arranger, he was selected for the 38th Contemporary Music Composers' Newcomer Award and received the Audience Award, as well as the Excellence Award at the Tokyo Geidai Art Festival 2023.

©Naoya Ikegami

Musicologist: Miyuki Shiraishi

Born in Tokyo. Her specialty is musicology, with research focusing on the history of 20th-century avant-garde music and the history of contemporary Japanese music criticism. She began writing for newspapers and magazines during her graduate studies at Tokyo University of the Arts and has since been active in a wide range of critical activities, focusing on premiere performances of new works. Her publications include "John Cage: Anarchy, Not Chaos" (20th Yoshida Hidekazu Prize), "Bless All Sounds," and "150 Years of Music Criticism: From Fukuchi Gen'ichiro to Hidekazu Yoshida" (37th Music Pen Club Prize, 3rd Music Book Award Individual Prize). Her edited works include "Music Theory."

About the "Akutagawa Yasushi Suntory Prize"

Established in 1990 to commemorate the achievements of the late Yasushi Akutagawa (1925-89), a composer who made significant contributions to the development of the post-war Japanese music scene. Three nominated orchestral works by emerging Japanese composers, premiered in 2025 (January-December), will be performed live: works by Nozomi Kaneda, Yuki Nakahashi, and Tetsuya Yamamoto. From these, one work that is most fresh and promising for the future will be publicly selected and awarded. The world premiere of a new work commissioned from the 34th prize winner, Kenhito Ishikawa, will also be performed. Attention should also be paid to the first appearance at this concert of conductor Kanako Abe, who is known for her numerous world premieres both domestically and internationally, and her novel interpretations and passionate performances from a composer's perspective.

Suntory Hall Summer Festival 2026 Special Feature Page

https://www.suntory.co.jp/suntoryhall/feature/summer2026/

36th Yasushi Akutagawa Suntory Prize Composition Competition Concert

August 30 (Sun) Starts at 17:00 (Doors open 16:20) Suntory Hall Main Hall

https://www.suntory.co.jp/suntoryhall/feature/summer2026/akutagawa.html