Name

ル・ポン国際音楽祭2019　赤穂・姫路
(Le Pont International Music Festival 2019 Ako & Himeji)
Le Pont is the French word for “bridge.”

Objective

After world-renowned violinist, Daishin Kashimoto, who has connections with Ako and Himeji, proposed holding a "handmade" music festival like the ones in Europe, in which musicians play in their hometowns or towns with which they are closely connected, and in which audience and performers are brought closer together, the International Music Festival in Ako was held in fall 2007, and the Le Pont International Music Festival Himeji in fall 2008.
Since then, the festival was held alternately in Ako City and Himeji City, and from 2012, it has been held in both cities jointly.

Features

1. With Daishin Kashimoto (1st Concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra) as music director, a series of chamber music concerts will be held, featuring world-renowned musicians who are friends of Kashimoto.
2. The concerts will be held at distinctive venues in Ako and Himeji at low admission prices.
3. Large numbers of residents are involved in the running of the festival as volunteers. This creates various opportunities for the musicians and the audience and residents to interact with each other.