Atsuko Seta

(born March 4, 1955) is a Japanese classical pianist. She is particularly successful in Poland, especially in the southwest of the country, regularly performing with the Sudecka Philharmonic orchestra in Wałbrzych and in her native Japan and in Bulgaria. Seta is living in Poland as an Honorable Citizen of Szczawno-Zdroj city. Artistic Director of Chiangmai Ginastera International Music Festival. Honorary Professor of Payap University Thailand. Honorary Chairman of Japan Ginastera Association.

Life In 1977 she graduated from the Department of Music, Piano Course, Osaka Kyoiku University. In 1978, she completed a Postgraduate Course, starting her career as a pianist, mentored by Argentine pianist Eduardo Delgado. She also studied at the International Academy Friedrich Wilhelm Schnurre in Sion, Switzerland, in 1991 and has performed concertos in the country.

In 1996, Seta won the top prize of the Masterplayers International Music Competition in Italy and completed a master course in Flaine International Music Academy in France, also studying at the Kyoto France Music Academy. Since 1997, she has performed in Europe every year, especially piano concertos, with the Sudecka Philharmonic in Poland. Among the trio, the volcalist was Ai Fujiki, Seta and Fusako Tamura was on piano, Akiko Yui on clarinet, and Shungo Moriyama conducted Mozart, Saint-Saëns, and Grieg. Their 91st concerto, titled Mytown Concerto no.9 was at a hall in Seta's home town in northern Osaka.

It was in 2003 and Atsuko Seta received the Music Critic Club Prize, which has been given to the most active musician in West Japan.

On January 19, 2008, Seta performed in a memorial concert for Princess Galyani Vadhana in Chiang Mai. After solo recitals in late June at the Sun Heart Music Hall and Nagahama Hall in Yokohama, Constanze House in Gifu and a Salon Concert at the Singapore Embassy in Tokyo, she went to Bulgaria in November, 2008. and Wlodek Zylin, reciting Brahms C-major. A day later, she gave a solo recital in the town of Kudowa-Zdrój. It was in 2010 when she has mostly performed in her native Japan, in Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo.

The contest is formatted that all competition at any venue will be reviewed publicly, with the participating audience also contributing to make the encouraging atmosphere. No repertoire requirements, and candidates will bring their favorite repertoire for their advantage. In the final round, performance of all genres are reviewed in concert format when any instrumentalist, ensemble performer or vocalist will perform, aiming to bring an influential moments for musicians and listen to various musical instruments performed.

The contest is a part of an international music festival. In the 2016, where noted performers as the jury members performed during the early part of the festival. For 2016 and in particular, individual recitals by Eduardo Delgado on piano, Gino Carbonaro Recital (accordion), and Atsuko Seta (piano) Ilona Krzywicka, a soprano had a recital accompanied by Atsuko Seta.

The final round of the competition brought a program when the finalists play for 30 minutes each. A concert for the Junior Prize winners is followed by a gala with jury members as performers. The Chiang Mai Symphony Orchestra was conducted with and finalists in major parts.

Every year, Beethoven Symphony No. 9 the fourth movement, "Ode to Joy" is planned for the finale of the gala concert and the Festival, when the audience are encouraged and apply to Festival Special Choir. In 2016, the finale was preceded by Edualdo Delgado on piano for Ginastera Sonata No.1. In the Beethoven “Ode to Joy”, contest finalists Ilona Krzywicka (Soprano), Manator (Alto), Krzywicka (Soprano), Naprang Manator (Alto), Rungsun Poonsup (Tenor), and Viriyabhat Kitavadhana (Baritone) sang with an orchestra conducted by Chaipruck Mekara (Thailand), with Payap University Choir and the Chiang Mai International Music Festival (CGIMF) Special Choir.

Charity concerts When Atsuko Seta moved to Chang Mai in the 2000th, she expanded the intention of her charity piano recitals including for the future of Asian children in 2015. Recital to support disaster relief aids for both Thailand and Japan was at Chiang Mai, Thailand in 2011, which was titled “Nodame Concert”, or Nodame after a popular manga with young concert musicians as main characters.

Style A virtuoso, Seta is noted for her recitals of Beethoven, Chopin and Liszt and also Argentine composer Ginastera and Brahms. She is also well noted for her piano concertos performed with orchestras, particularly by composers such as Khachaturian, Ginastera and Rachmaninov, and has also performed concertos by Grieg and Tchaikovsky. Seta resides in Thailand and in February 2010 performed recitals of Chopin at Chopin's Anniversary concert. 2003 Music Critic Club Prize, Japan 2004 Ginastera Special Award, IBLA Grand Prize, Italy

Juries Chiangmai Symphony Orchestra held a competition for conductors and instrumentalists, and in September, served as the artistic director as well as a jury for the whole competition when Eduardo Delgado celebrated the competition award ceremony.

1996 Jury, 1997–1999 Jury, Masterplayers International Music Competition 2014 Jury, Hong Kong International Music Competition for Young Pianists 2016 Jury and artistic director, Changmai Competition for Conductors and Instrumentalists