PICKBOY Baton Ambassador | Koji Kawamoto
PICKBOY Baton Ambassador | Mitsugu Kawamoto
Photo: Ayane Shindo
Conductor Mitsugu Kawamoto has conducted numerous orchestral and opera performances both in Japan and abroad for many years, and his wealth of experience and deep understanding of music have earned him the trust of many performers.
He is an important presence in PICKBOY's Baton development, delivering a voice from a field perspective, and we introduce him as an ambassador with the utmost respect.
Activity history and current model
Professor Kawamoto has previously served as first resident conductor of the Deutsche Oper Vorpommernen, principal conductor of the Northeast German Philharmonic, and music director of the Pilsen Radio Symphony Orchestra, and is currently an honorary guest conductor of the Xi'an Symphony Orchestra.
Your favorite PICKBOY baton:
- FTK-150EB/W (Grip: Ebony)
- FTK-150RW/W (Grip: Rosewood)
Both have a total length of 260mm and a grip size of 50 x 12mm.
The idea that the baton is also an "instrument"
"I consider the baton to be an instrument as well."
Kawamoto explains that he has used more than 10 different batons so far, paying close attention to how the length, thickness, weight and material of the batons affect the sound and how it is conveyed to the performer.
Finding the right one for you
"Choosing the right baton for you is the first step in creating music," says Professor Kawamoto, who places great importance on the fit of the grip and the balance of its length.
Currently, a shorter 26cm model is used as the base, and different materials (ebony and rosewood) are used depending on the piece and the acoustics of the hall.
"Ebony is used 90% of the time, but there are times when the sound of rosewood suits us better," he says, showing his attention to even the smallest nuances.
How to choose a baton
Professor Kawamoto says that the qualities of a good baton are that it "can be held naturally without any unnecessary force" and "has such good balance that you forget you are holding it."
Regarding the choice of material, he said, "The most important thing is whether it fits your hand, rather than your gender or physique."
Comment from Professor Kawamoto
The baton is not just a tool.
He is a “guide” who conveys the will of the music.
The most important thing to me is that it's easy to use, so naturally that you forget you're holding it.
What I want to convey through my baton
As he continues to use the PICKBOY baton, Mr. Kawamoto told us that he has been getting more and more questions about the baton after concerts.
He is deeply grateful that by using it himself, PICKBOY has become a new option for other conductors and young performers, and that its appeal is spreading.
profile
Koji Kawamoto
Born in Shimane Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Conducting, Faculty of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts. During his time at university, he studied conducting under Hiroshi Wakasugi, Hiroyuki Odano, Masako Endo, and Francis Travis, as well as Valery Gergiev and Serge Celibidache in master classes. After moving to the United States, he studied under Gustav Meyer, professor emeritus at the University of Michigan. He also received direct instruction from his lifelong mentor, Charles Dutoit, in various parts of the world, where he mastered the essence of the "magician of sound."
He won the 10th Tokyo International Conductors' Competition (formerly the Tokyo International Music Competition Conducting Division) at the age of 22. He also won third place in the conducting division of the 59th Prague Spring International Music Competition.
In 1995, he made his debut conducting the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra, the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Kyushu Symphony Orchestra, and has since performed with orchestras around Japan, including the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, the Sapporo Symphony Orchestra, the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra.
Since 2001, he has been based in Germany and engaged in international conducting activities, serving as the first resident conductor of the German Opera House Vorpommern, the principal conductor of the Northeast German Philharmonic Orchestra, and the music director of the Pilsen Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 2021, he was appointed Honorary Guest Conductor of the Xi'an Symphony Orchestra.
He has performed as a guest with over 50 orchestras in Europe, North America, South America, Russia, Africa, and Asia, including such prestigious Eastern European orchestras as the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Thuringian Philharmonic Orchestra, Theater Würzburg-Mainfranken, Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ontario Philharmonic, Krasnoyarsk Symphony Orchestra, Ukrainian National Dnipropetrovsk Philharmonic Orchestra, Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, Malaga Symphony Orchestra of Spain, Concepcion Symphony Orchestra of Chile, Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, Xi'an Symphony Orchestra, Qingdao Symphony Orchestra, and Guiyang Symphony Orchestra, and is scheduled to appear at regular concerts in the future.
Official Website
Learn more about Professor Kawamoto
We have published explanatory content by Professor Kawamoto on how to choose a baton and how to demonstrate it.
*This page has been compiled based on interviews with and publication permission from Mr. Mitsugu Kawamoto, a regular user of PICKBOY Baton.