Kazuko Seiler

Kazuko Seiler was born in Kyoto. Her early training was in piano and voice. After graduating from the Toho Music School for Performers she entered the Staatliche Hochschule fuer Musik und Darstellende Kunst 'Mozarteum' at Salzburg, Austria. During her studies there she was active performing in Europe, as well as in the summer schools at Salzburg and Estoril, Portugal. After numerous appearances as a soloist she married Ernst Seiler and became part of the Seiler Piano Duo, performing all over the world. She also is active as a writer, in TV appearances and as a recording artist.

In addition, 1989, in Kyoto Prefecture Kazuko and Ernst erected a music hall «registered cultural property of the country» in the village of Goma
Kayabuki concert is held in early summer and autumn.

Ernst Seiler passed away in March 2017.
After that, she held an early summer kayabuki concert as a substitute. In September, a violin and piano duo concert was held in Kayabuki Ongakudo and Osaka on the theme of "German's Soul" with her daughter, Kio Seiler, and it was well received.

From 2018 onwards, she performed the viola and piano concerts in the early summer and the piano trio concerts in the autumn in the "Kazuko Seiler and her wonderful music Friends" series.
The 11th Kayabuki Music Hall International Piano Duo Competition was successfully held in October.
In the summer of 2019, she will continue to hold chamber music concerts such as the piano trio.

Kazuko is busy with a variety of activities such as piano duo concert, piano solo recital, chamber music concert, piano competition judge, lecturer, panelist, leader of a music hall (national registered cultural property), management and maintenance, etc. continue.

Milestones

1973: The Seiler Piano Duo established
1977: Southeast Asia tour sponsored by an international exchange grant from the German Cultural Center
1978: Concert tours in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and other regions of Japan
1979: Debut concert in Wigmore Hall, London
1980: One-week concert series held in the Mozart House, Salzburg, Austria
Recitals in Portugal and Germany
1985: Carnegie Hall debut to rave reviews in the New York Times
Second appearance at Carnegie Hall, New York
1989: Opening concert commemorating the completion of the Kayabuki Ongaku-do
Commence early summer and fall Kayabuki Concert series
1990: Begin writing weekly column “Seiler fusai no seikou usou”(The Seiler Piano Duo: Come Rain or Come Shine) for The Asahi Shinbun newspaper
1992: Publication of “Seiler fusai no seikou usou” in book form
1993: Concerts tours in Germany and Russia documented by Yomiuri Television Hokkaido Furusato Haiko Concert Tour series (concerts held in 35 regional schools throughout Japan from 1993-96)
Start Ozeki “Zabuton” Concert series sponsored by Ozeki Sake Corp. (held 60 concerts in small towns and village throughout Japan from 1993-2004)
TV Asahi appearance on “Tetsuko no heya”
1994: At the National Planting Tree Festival held in Hyogo Prefecture, performed for the Japanese Emperor and Empress.
1995: Release CD “Toukyou seiin”
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Co.) BS2 “Classic Hour”
1996: Appear in two TV Tokyo high-vision documentaries
1997: Award for distinguished service from Japanese Ministry of Home Affairs
Appear in NHK’s “Sekai waga kokoro no tabi” (World Travels of the Heart, a Documentary prime time)
Tokyo Island-to-Island Concert Tour sponsored by the Tokyo Municipal Government (recitals held in all 11 islands of the Izu Peninsula)
1998: Release live performance CD “Ichidan kisho”
First Kayabuki Ongaku-do Competition for Piano Duet
1999: Appear on NHK’s “Geijutsu Gekijo: Stage Door”
2000: Concerts in Australia (Brisbane University) and America
2002: Numerous TV appearances including NHK’s “Hello Japan” and Beat Takeshi’s “Anyone can be a Picasso”
2003: Release CD “ Oto Fuukei” (“Sound images”)
Received the “Human Kazaguruma-sho” from Kyoto OMRON Community Foundation
2004: Finishing the Concert series “Ozeki Zabuton Concerts” 60 concerts throughout Japan.
2006: Recital in Tokyo, presenting the “Grosse Fuge” of Beethoven, celebrating the discovery of his long lost manuscript.
2007: Release CD “Kacho fugetu” (Flower, bird, wind and moon)
2008: received the “Kyoto Akebono-sho Special Prize” from Kyoto Prefecture
2009: Release CD “Kisei Rakuon ～Die Blaue Blume～”
2011: Celebrating the 300th performance at the Seiler Kayabuki Concert Hall.
2012: Receiving the “Kyoto Bunka-sho Kourou-sho” and the “Kyoto Souzousya-sho” from Kyoto Prefecture
“The Seiler Family Grand Concert” performed in the big hall of the Kyoto Concert Hall before a sell out audience.
2013: Release the DVD of “The Seiler Family Grand Concert”.
Celebrating the 25th year of the Kayabuki Concert.
2016: Successful duo concert sponsored by billboards in Tokyo, Kyoto, Nishinomiya, etc.
At the Growing Tree Festival held in Nantan City, Kyoto Prefecture, performed for presence of the Crown Prince.
2017: The death of her husband Ernst Seiler who was her piano duo partner.
A piano concert with Professor Serebryany and a concert with Kio Seiler in Osaka, Kyoto, etc.
2018: "Kazuko Seiler and her wonderful music Friends" series, the concert of the viola and the piano in the early summer and the concert of the piano trio in the autumn are finished successfully.
The 11th Kayabuki Music Hall International Piano Duo Competition was held in October.
2019: In the early summer concert with Gregory Ahss (violin) and Konstantin Pitz (Cello)
The Kayabuki concert has been held a total of 400 times, and a total of more than 100,000 people have visited

Awards and Post Received

1997: “Award for distinguished service”　from Japanese Ministry of Home Affairs
2003: The “Human Kazaguruma-sho (Pinwheel Prize)” from Kyoto OMRON Community Foundation
2008: The “Kyoto Akebono-sho Special Prize” from Kyoto Prefecture
2011: Vice President of the 26th National Culture Festival in Kyoto Prefecture
2012: The “Kyoto Bunka-sho Kourou-sho” and the “Kyoto Souzousya-sho” from Kyoto Prefecture