Muzon International Institute
NAOKO INOUE
Director / Music Director of Muzon Int. Institute, Violin
Naoko Inoue was born in Chiba, a suburb of Tokyo, Japan, where she began playing the violin at the age 3. She was 11 years old when she first performed with an orchestra. In 1995 she entered the Music High School attached to the Tokyo National University of Arts and Music under the tutelage of professor Kousaku Yamaoka and then continued to study with Professor Wolgang Marschner at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (Geidai) .
In 2004 she did her apprenticeship at the prestigious Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Hungary, Budapest under the guidance of esteemed Professors: Vilmos Szabadi (solo violin), Márta Gulyás (duo), János Rolla (chamber music), Károly Botvay (string quartet) and György Vashegyi (baroque sonata). It was here, in 2009, she earned her MA with the highest honour and their Professional Performance qualification. Her dedication resulted in being awarded scholarships for the YAMAHA Music Foundation, the ROHM Music Foundation and the Tempus Public Foundation.
She performed in the Concert Budapest, as a solo, and also as a chamber music player in Hungary. Since 2011, she has been a core member of the Anima Musicae Chamber Orchestra and continues to share the soul of music with them.It was when she was with this orchestra they were awarded the Junior Prima Prize at the Prima Primissima Foundation of Hungary. They also won the first prize at the Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival Competition in Vienna, Austria.
Her awards range from Special Prize in the All Japan Youth Music Competition of Tokyo, Rising Musicians Audition in Ichikawa, the Japan Blue-ribbon prize and second prize in the International Music Competition "Don Vincenzo Vitti" In Italy. Her notable performances include: International Music Festival in Kouchi and Tokyo, UNESCO International Music Festival and a performance with the Liszt Ferenc Chamber Orchestra at the Liszt Ferenc Academy Main Hall.
Although her current focus lies in giving live performances, she is equally devoted to her work as Principal of the N Violin Institute and Director/Music Director of the Muzon International Institute in London.With her experience in performing in Europe for over 20 years, she combines the rich European tradition with a meticulous Japanese teaching approach.
She has produced successful candidates from her students to the following schools. The Menuhin School, Junior Academy of the Royal Academy of Music, Music Scholarship of North London Collegiate School, City of London School for Girls, Godolphin&Latymer school, Queen’s College London etc.
Naoko plays a Cremonese Nicolo AMATI violin, dated between 1650-60.
ARTIST
NOEMI GYORI Flute
Hailed by Flute Journal for the ‘great skill and intensity’ of her artistry, Noemi Gyori is renowned as soloist and chamber musician on modern and baroque flutes. Her interpretations of a strikingly broad repertoire are built on the unshakeable bedrock of flawless technique, enchanting tonal richness and painstaking scholarly research. They are hallmarked above all by a rare expressive refinement and her ability to communicate a multitude of emotions, qualities that have held audiences spellbound in almost thirty countries worldwide.
Noemi’s work has been honoured with the European Culture Prize for Young Artists (2011), the Career Prize of the Salon de Virtuosi Foundation New York (2012) and the Performers’ Prize of the Artisjus Music Foundation Hungary (2006, 2009). She became the first flautist to receive a PhD in Flute Performance from the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2020, having graduated with honours from the Liszt Academy of Music and completed postgraduate studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, where her teachers included Henrik Prőhle, Barbara Gisler-Haase and András Adorján.
In addition to her solo career, Noemi is also principal flautist of the Jewish Chamber Orchestra Munich and has played as a guest member with the BBC Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic (Vienna State Opera) orchestras. She is an Associate Tutor in flute at the Royal Northern College of Music, Tutor at the Junior RNCM and the University of Manchester, and has given masterclasses on three continents.
Noemi has recorded programmes for broadcast by the ORF, Deutschlandfunk, BRF, BBC, WQXR New York, Hungarian Radio, Arte and Mezzo TV. Her critically acclaimed studio recordings include Antonio Nava: Flute and Guitar Duos (2011), Glowing Sonorities (2016), Transforming Traditions (2019), Haydn and Mozart Flute Quartets (2020) and Romantic & Virtuoso Music for Flutes and Piano (2022), the latter featuring scintillating duets by the brothers Franz and Karl Doppler.
Noemi is a Miyazawa Flutes Artist, performing on a Lafin headjoint and a 14K gold Boston flute, sponsored by the Solti and Philip Loubser Foundations.
OWEN HO Music History/Theory Tutor, Composer, Conductor
Owen Ho is a composer, conductor, and educator. As a composer, Owen has been shortlisted by Sound and Music to represent the British Section in ISCM World New Music Days. He was also commissioned to write for players from the Hong Kong Philharmonic and twice for the Bloomsbury Festival in London. His compositional output includes works for orchestra, chamber ensemble, choir, voice, solo instrument, dance, film, and electroacoustic music. He is a prizewinner of numerous composition competitions, such as the Association Of English Singers And Speakers' Song Writing Competition (UK) and the International Composition Competition for Chromatic Harmonica (Hong Kong).
Equally active as a conductor, Owen is the Artistic Director of Ensemble Matters, a London-based group dedicated to collaborating with creatives in and outside the field of music as well as performing traditional concert staples in a new light. Besides his commitment to new music and cross-artistic collaborations, Owen has served as the Music Director of the Goodensemble Orchestra (2018-22), a cross-conservatoire orchestra that focuses on works from the common practice period. As a freelance conductor, he also conducted the London Lawyers’ Symphony Orchestra and Choir, New Mozart Orchestra, City Wind Orchestra, London Repertoire Orchestra, and the Bloomsbury Opera.
As a teacher, Owen is an official music tutor on the Royal College of Music’s Teaching Service. With over 10 years of experience in teaching, he has helped his students achieve top results in music theory, academic music (A-Levels, IB, (i)GCSE, AP), composition, arranging, music notation, and essay writing.
Currently, Owen is completing his doctorate at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Previously, he graduated from the Royal College of Music (MMus in Composition; Distinction) and the University of Hong Kong (BA in Music; First Class Honours). He has received numerous awards in recognition of his artistic excellence, such as the Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust, Macfarlane Walker Trust, Bernard Van Zuiden Prize, Jao Yu Tsong Memorial Prize in Music, and Prof. Robert Lord Memorial Prize in Music.
ERI YAMAMOTO Piano, Artist Chief of the Muzon Int. Institute
Eri Yamamoto was born in Tokyo and, after achieving her BA and MA with highest honours at the F. Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest as a Stipendium Hungaricum scholar, she moved to London in 2017 to further her skills on the Professional Diploma course at the Royal Academy of Music. Currently based in London, the Life Member of the Liszt Society, the Artist Member of the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe, is also an official piano accompanist in the Strings Department of the Royal Academy of Music.
Eri has won numerous prizes and awards, including becoming the Finalist of the NY F. Liszt Competition, and had a Grand Final at the Stern Auditorium Perelman Stage (for Concerto) and the Weill Recital Hall (for Solo) of the Carnegie Hall(NY), the membership of the Liszt Society as became the Finalist of the Liszt Society Piano Competition (UK), Absolute First Prize in the ‘Citta di Barletta’ (Italy), Second prize in the G. Gershwin Int. Piano Competition (NY, US), the Rosalia de Castro Special Prize in the International Piano Competition ‘City of Vigo’ (Spain), Second Prize in the Putra International Piano Competition (Malaysia), and other honours throughout Europe and Asia.
She has performed at the Main Hall of the F. Liszt Academy of Music with Bartok Radio (Budapest), Chopin Birthday Festival (Warsaw), the Stipendium Hungaricum Ceremony attended by the Hungarian Prime Minister (Budapest), Beethoven Piano Society of Europe Summer Festival (London), the Wiener Saal Mozarteum (Salzburg) and the Suntory Hall Blue Rose Room (Tokyo), the Liszt Hungary Cultural Institute (Tokyo), the Hungarian National Event - Night of Museum Event Concert (Budapest), National Physical Laboratory Music Society (London), on FM Yokohama and FM Tokyo Radio, Abbey Road Studio (London), with Orchestra of St. Luke's - conducting by Gabor Hollerung, with Szolnok Symphony orchestra - conducting by Masahiro Izaki, Anima Musicae chamber orchestra, and Mihail Jara Bacau Philharmonic Orchestra - conducting by Ovidiu Balan, to name just few.
Eri also enjoys performing as a chamber musician, having given duo recitals with the clarinettist Richard Stolzman, and performing in a violin and piano duo on Hungarian Radio, as well as live appearances in London at the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room. She was awarded the First prize with Goncalo Pires in the Int. London Classical Music Competition, the Third Prize by Trio Primo in the CPO Int. Music Competition.
She has studied under Nádor György and has attended masterclasses including Andrea Bonatta, Cyprien Katszaris, Pavel Gililov, the International Mozarteum Summer Academy and the Lake Como International Piano Academy. She currently receives expert coaching from the concert pianist Julian Jacobson, Orsolya Szabó.
Her private piano students achieved the Third prize on the EPTA UK National Piano Competition, 1st prize at the Piano Competition of the Trinity Summer Piano Academy, Silver prize at the London Youth Piano Competition, Silver prize at the Akasaka Music Competition in Tokyo, Bronze prize at the New Talent British International Youth Music Competition, Music Scholarship of Wetherby Senior School, London and others.
Kodaly Musicianship department
The Kodály Method uses a child-developmental approach to sequence, introducing skills in accordance with the capabilities of the child. New concepts are introduced, beginning with the easiest, and become progressively more difficult. Concepts are constantly reviewed and reinforced through games, movement, exercises, and songs.
“With music, one’s whole future is brightened.
This is such a treasure in life that it helps us over many troubles and difficulties.
Music is nourishment, a comforting elixir.
Music multiplies all that is beautiful and of value in life.”
Zoltan Kodály
We cooperate for the course with North London Music Conservatoire ( Principal Deborah Harris).
They focus on young children's music education based on the Kodály method.
Kodaly Method Tutors from the North London Conservatoire:
Hannah Blumsohn
Primary Class
Ina Surikova-Winjahr
Kindergarten and Advance class
JULIAN GREGORY Vocal - King's Singer
Julian Gregory started his singing career at the age of 8 as a boy chorister at St John's College, Cambridge, under Dr. Christopher Robinson. Following five years as a Music Scholar at Eton College and a Choral Scholarship at Norwich Cathedral, he returned to St John's in 2009 to read Music as a tenor Choral Scholar and violinist Instrumental Scholar.
After graduating from Cambridge University, Julian spent a year studying German at Heidelberg University, and went on a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. There he completed his Masters with Distinction (DipRAM) in Vocal Performance studying with Neil Mackie and Ben Johnson, and has since been awarded an Associateship (ARAM) of the institution.
In September 2014, Julian took up the tenor position in the internationally renowned vocal ensemble, The King’s Singers. He subsequently spends over 200 days a year away on tour, with around 120 concerts annually across six different continents. Personal highlights during his time in the group so far include singing on BBC2’s Carols from King’s on Christmas Eve 2020; the launch of their Finding Harmony project, which celebrates music that has brought communities together in the face of hardship throughout the ages; co-founding a commissioning- and education-focussed charity called The King’s Singers’ Global Foundation, based in the United States; and performing in world-class venues each year, including favourites Carnegie Hall NYC, Tokyo Suntory Hall, Amsterdam Concertgebouw and Koerner Hall Toronto.
Aside from his King’s Singer commitments, Julian is the Assistant Director of the UK-Japan Music Society, which lies close to his heart with his half-English, half-Japanese heritage; it brings together musicians from both countries and culminates in regular concerts across Europe and Japan. He was recently appointed onto the Board of Creatives Care, a New York-based charity which provides mental healthcare for musicians, no matter their means or background.
DORA KOKAS Cello
Dóra KOKAS started to learn the cello at the early age of four from her mother.
In 2006 she was admitted to the Liszt Academy’s Special School for Exceptional Young Talents, where she studied under the direction of László Mező. From 2007 she continued her studies in the preparatory class of the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts, and later at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, MA student of Miklós Perényi.
Besides her academic studies, she had the opportunity of participating in the master classes of such world-renowned artists as János Starker, Steven Isserlis, Johanthan Cohen, Susan Moses, Csaba Onczay and Ferenc Rados.
In addition to her numerous triumphs at youth competitions in Hungary, she won the first prize at the Gorizia International Cello Competition in 2005, second prize at the Liezen International Cello Competition in 2004 and bronze medal in Dolny Kubin in 2006; in 2014 she got into the finals of the Pablo Casals International Violoncello Competition organized in Budapest and received two special awards.
As a founding member of the Kelemen Quartet, she has won a plethora of prizes at the most prestigious international string quartet competitions and took to the stage in the world’s top-ranking concert venues, partnering with musicians like Joshua Bell, José Gallardo, Nicholas Altstaedt, or Péter Frankl.
She made her solo debut with a performance of Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto at the Gala Concert of the Young Talents International Music Festival in 2006. She has performed Haydn’s C Major Concerto and the Double Concerto by Brahms with her sister, the violinist Katalin Kokas on several occasions. She has played as a soloist with the Budapest String Orchestra, the Zagreb Chamber Orchestra and the MÁV Symphony Orchestra. In 2014 she was awarded the Gundel Art Prize.
She is currently tutoring at the Liszt Academy Budapest, also at the music schools and conservatories in Hungary as the part of the Festival Academy Budapest. She also gives the Masterclasses all around the world.
SAORI ODA Vocal, Musical Actor
2023 Summer Young Talent Project
Saori Oda was born in Japan. She started her classical ballet training at the age of 6 and classical singing when she was 13. She made her professional stage debut in the Phantom of the Opera as a Ballet chorus in Japan at Shiki Theatre Company when she was a high school student. After that, she came to London and In 2008, she graduated at the Urdang Academy as a student of the year with a diploma in professional Musical Theatre.
She has appeared in West End/UK national tours in a major shows such as Lion King, Wicked, Miss Saigon etc and performed as a back dancer for Lady Gaga and Pet Shop Boys in Brit Awards. She has also performed in Britain’s got talent, danced in front of Prince William and Kate Middleton in Royal Variety show and mayor of london and she won a prize in Got Skillz show. She has performed with world famous Ken Watanabe and Japanese famous actor Takao Osawa in The King and I at The London Palladium. She has appeared in The Phantom of the Opera in West End at Her Majesty’s Theatre until July 2022 for a year as a role of Carlotta which is the first Asian to play the role in the English speaking country in the world.
Theatre includes: Mother/Mysterious Voice/ Factory worker in Galaxy Train (The Other Palace), Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre), Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera (UK & Ireland Tour/Leicester Curve only due to covid-19), Christmas Eve in Avenue Q (UK Tour), u/s Princess in Aladdin Panto (Hackney Empire), The King and I (London Palladium), Miss Saigon (UK & Ireland tour), Carousel (Coliseum), Madam Butterfly (Coliseum, English National Opera), Miss Saigon (Prince Edward Theatre), The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre), Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre), Ballet soloist dancer with Wayne Sleep Pas de deux in the 80th Gala (Apollo Victoria Theatre), Aladdin Panto (Hackney Empire), The King and I (Royal Albert Hall), The Wizard of Oz (Southbank Centre), the IDTA Annual Conference (Royal Lancaster Hotel), EC1 Pride in Our People Awards (LSO St Luke’s), and Retrospective (The Cochrane Theatre), The Phantom of the Opera (Japan), Film credits included: The King and I-Live from the London Palladium, Miss Saigon 25th anniversary Television includes: performing at the Brit Awards with the Pet shop Boys and Lady Gaga (Earl’s Court Exhibition). Credit whilst training: Rapunzel in Into the Woods Other work includes: Miss Saigon The Heat Is Back On DVD, Miss Saigon revival original cast recording, Miss Saigon Royal Variety show(The London Palladium), solo and duo in HSBC Private Bank Gala Dinner (Grand Hyatt Hotel, Hong Kong), as part of an acrobatic duo in the Mayor’s gala (The Old Finsbury Town Hall), acrobatic duo Hair Show (Windsor Beaumont House), acrobatic duo The Winner of the Got Skillz in 2009 (Hackney Ocean) Training Private acting lesson, Inigo Galiano 2022-current, Brad Heller, 2016 Acting The Meisner Technique intensive course, Scott Williams, 2016 Method Acting short corses, Brian Timoney, 2014 Private vocal training, 1999-current, Claire Underwood, Fiona Mcdougal, Julie Gossage, Graeme Lauren, Matthew Shaw, Leontine Hass, Maurice Clarke, Phillip Bell, Elizabeth Majella Byrne, Akiko Kobayashi, Teruko Morita Urdang Academy, Professional Musical Theatre, 3 years, 2005-2008 Student of the year Classical Ballet, Japan, 1996-2004 Opera Singing, Japan, 1999-2004 Modern Ballet, Japan, 1992-1994
- From the Previous Projects -
GERGELY MADARAS Conductor / Music Advisor
2023 Summer Young Talent Project
“Gergely Madaras was the impressive, authoritative conductor, keeping a grip on this multicoloured ocean of orchestral sound.” ★★★★★ The Guardian, June 2022
Gergely Madaras is Music Director of the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège and has previously held positions as Chief Conductor of the Savaria Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Orchestre Dijon Bourgogne.
The 22/23 season includes debuts with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre National de Capitole de Toulouse, Orchestre National de Lille, Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana and with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. He will return to the Bamberger Symphoniker, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI.
Equally established in the operatic repertoire, he has led productions at English National Opera, Dutch National Opera, Hungarian State Opera and Grand Théâtre de Genève. This season he makes his debut at La Monnaie conducting Shostakovich’s The Nose.
While grounded in the traditional classic and romantic repertoire, Gergely is an advocate of Bartók, Kodály and Dohnányi, maintaining a close relationship with new music having conducted more than 100 works written after 1970, collaborating closely with composers Pierre Boulez, George Benjamin, György Kurtág and Péter Eötvös. In 2011, he was a finalist at the Besancon International Conducting Competition, and winner of the Arte Live Web prize.
