We regret to announce you that the 41st Kusatsu International Summer Music Academy & Festival 2020, originally scheduled from August 17th to 30th, will be cancelled due to the worldwide spread of COVID-19.

Due to the global spread of COVID-19, we have decided it will be difficult to invite our conductor and faculty from Europe due to the ongoing immigration restriction for visitors from overseas. The health and safety of visitors, students, performers, staff, and all those involved with this event are our highest priorities, and this decision was made to help ensure that everyone remains safe and well.

We apologize to all those who were planning to attend the master class, and to those who were looking forward to the concerts. We would also like to express our sincere apologies to the supporting organizations, sponsors, donors, and all those involved in the preparations for the event.

The Kusatsu International Summer Music Academy & Festival, which began in 1980 as an opportunity for young Japanese musicians to learn directly from world-renowned musicians, has been running continuously for the past 40 years, and it was our great pleasure to have been able to host it. We believe art and culture, including music, are not something for luxury, but an important part of human beings. We regret we had to cancel the music festival even though we need music more than usual in this difficult time.

The next festival is still undecided at this point, but we hope to see you again in Kusatsu town in summer. We would like to thank you for your continued support and cooperation.

May 20th, 2020

Koichiro Matsuura, Representative director of Gunma Kusatsu Music Society Foundation
Nobutada Kuroiwa, Mayor of Kusatsu Town