Documentary

Seiji Ozawa, The Living Spirit of Music

An Intergenerational Encounter

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Cast

Olivier Simonnet — Movie director

Seiji Ozawa International Academy Switzerland

Seiji Ozawa — Conductor

Program notes

Seiji Ozawa is one of the last living legends of a golden age of orchestral conducting. A student of both Charles Munch and Herbert von Karajan and an assistant to Leonard Bernstein, Ozawa went on to conduct the prestigious Boston Symphony Orchestra for 30 years. Even so, his red Nikes and baseball cap give the 80-year old an image that defies the expectations one might have for a world-famous maestro. The unconventional musician continues to inspire admiration and respect among both musicians and audiences struck by his energy and commitment.

A passionate music educator, he founded the Seiji Ozawa International Academy Switzerland in 2004, where he teaches young musicians about both chamber music and orchestral playing. In 2015, 27 musicians from the academy came to the Fondation Louis Vuitton. This documentary weaves together interviews with the young talents and their mentor Ozawa to capture the joy and richness of their intergenerational encounter.

A closer look: featured composers

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