Social Contribution Activities

NHK Symphony Orchestra has been presenting projects such as "NHK Music Club for Children" where the orchestra members visit primary and junior high schools across Japan and perform a mini-concert under the catchphrase of "the NHK Symphony Orchestra comes to school" in collaboration with NHK, "Hotto Concert," a concert for children and adults to enjoy a program of a collection of classical music masterpieces held during school holidays every summer, and "Let's Enjoy Music with the NHK Symphony Orchestra," a scheme to invite preschool children to the orchestra's rehearsal studio in Takanawa, from nursery schools of its vicinity to teach the joy of music. We will inject further efforts to enrich minds and hearts of children by offering them hands-on experience to know more about music and our musicians.

The Conductor Trainee System is a program that the NHK Symphony Orchestra launched in the 1950s for the purpose of providing an occasion to learn conducting in a practical manner. By accepting promising young conductors at the actual site of the orchestra to provide them with opportunities to engage in music making with renowned conductors from both home and abroad, the NHK Symphony Orchestra has produced many notable conductors to lead the classic music world. In 2003, we established the NHK Symphony Orchestra Academy for the purpose of fostering orchestra musicians. Successful applicants through auditions will receive lessons and training from the orchestra musicians, and through participation in rehearsals and concerts. Those who completed the course are now performing in orchestras around the world including the NHK Symphony Orchestra.

The NHK Symphony Orchestra is lending a hand to various organizations and municipal governments across Japan to promote classical music and culture at their request. It is engaged in works and activities which are closely connected to local communities by demonstrating performances of classical music in kindergartens, restaurants, and shopping centers, and giving lessons to school children. Recently, there are an increasing number of opportunities for the orchestra to participate in events held by NHK's local broadcasting stations. On some occasions, the orchestra's percussionist takes the role of ringing the judging bells to convey the result of the contestants for the long-lasting amateur singing contest "NHK Nodo Jiman" broadcast Sunday lunchtime on NHK TV and radio.

The NHK Symphony Orchestra's musicians visit hospitals and senior care facilities to present a small concert to give a moment of peace and comfort to patients, their families caring for them, and elderly people. The orchestra also visits areas stricken by disasters to encourage local people through music. Fifteen members of the orchestra visited the Noto Peninsula, a month after the earthquake which hit the area in January 2024, and gave a 'mini- concert' at six evacuation centers in four localities.

Since its around-the-world concert tour in 1960, the orchestra has been putting more energy to strengthen its overseas performances, and in recent years, it has enjoyed more opportunities to be invited to world's most renowned stages, including the Mahler Festival held in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam in May 2025. Domestically, on the other hand, the orchestra is working on a project to invite foreign students studying in Japan to concerts the orchestra hosts in collaboration with universities in Tokyo metropolitan area.