Sado & Siena Wind Orchestra Brass Festival 2026 – Tokyo, Japan

• November 20, 2026
  Event date:
• November 20, 2026
  Event end:

What to expect in 2026

Sado & Siena Wind Orchestra Brass Festival 2026 – Tokyo, Japan brings together conductor Yutaka Sado and the Siena Wind Orchestra for a major brass and wind music concert at Katsushika Symphony Hills Mozart Hall. The 2026 edition continues the long-running collaboration between Sado and Siena, combining large-scale wind orchestra repertoire with Sado’s distinctive stage presence and audience-friendly presentation. The official programme includes music by Philip Sparke and Ottorino Respighi, together with the popular “Musical Toy Box” segment featuring Sado’s talk and music.

A major feature of the 2026 performance is the appearance of trumpeter Shūtarō Matsui as guest artist. Matsui joins Sado and Siena for the “Musical Toy Box” special section, adding a prominent trumpet voice to the concert’s brass-focused sound. His official performance information confirms that he is making his first appearance with the Sado × Siena series in this production and that the exact music he will perform in the talk-and-music section is being kept as a surprise for the audience.

The programme moves between contemporary wind-band writing, interactive presentation and major symphonic poems. Philip Sparke’s Music of the Cosmos provides the large-scale opening work, followed by Musical Toy Box – Sado Yutaka’s Talk and Music, with Matsui appearing as guest trumpet player. The second major part features Respighi’s Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome, works that allow the full wind orchestra to create contrasting textures, colours and powerful climaxes.

The concert also retains a distinctive Sado × Siena tradition: the audience may participate with instruments during the encore Star-Spangled Banner. The Siena Wind Orchestra states that people attending the performance can bring instruments that can be taken into the hall and do not require electricity, allowing audience members to join the orchestra for the finale. Detailed participation instructions are provided by the orchestra as part of its event information.

This makes the concert different from a conventional orchestral performance. Alongside the formal repertoire, the event is designed to create interaction between the musicians, conductor and audience. The result is an evening that combines serious wind-orchestra repertoire with spoken presentation and an audience-participation finale.

Event dates

Sado & Siena Wind Orchestra Brass Festival 2026 – Tokyo, Japan takes place on Friday, November 20, 2026, at Katsushika Symphony Hills Mozart Hall in Tokyo. The official performance listing gives an 18:00 start time, while the ticketing information lists doors opening at 17:15.

Date: Friday, November 20, 2026

Doors: 5:15 PM

Concert: 6:00 PM

Venue: Katsushika Symphony Hills Mozart Hall

City: Tokyo, Japan

The event is a single-date Tokyo performance within the 2026 Brass Festival tour. Other performances are scheduled in locations including Osaka, Aichi, Tochigi, Fukushima and Oita, but the November 20 performance is the Tokyo/Katsushika edition.

An official end time has not been published for the Katsushika performance, so visitors should avoid arranging a tightly timed late-evening connection immediately after the concert.

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Venue & festival site

The performance takes place at Katsushika Symphony Hills Mozart Hall, a dedicated concert venue in Tateishi, Katsushika City, Tokyo. The address is 6-33-1 Tateishi, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 124-0012. The venue is part of the Katsushika Symphony Hills cultural complex, which also includes Iris Hall, exhibition and community facilities, cafés and other spaces.

Mozart Hall has a total capacity of 1,318 seats and was designed primarily for orchestral and concert performances. Its rectangular shoebox-style configuration is intended to provide strong acoustic performance, making it particularly appropriate for a large wind orchestra such as Siena.

The hall contains two principal seating levels together with side balcony areas. The official seating documentation lists 770 seats on the first floor and 548 seats on the second floor, including 144 balcony seats.

For this concert, the hall itself is the performance site rather than an outdoor festival ground. Visitors therefore do not need to prepare for an outdoor festival environment, long walking distances between stages or weather-dependent viewing conditions.

The organisers specifically warn that balcony seating may have reduced visibility or sound compared with other areas. Anyone considering balcony tickets should take this into account before booking.

Full lineup

The confirmed 2026 artistic lineup includes:

• Yutaka Sado – conductor
• Siena Wind Orchestra – wind orchestra
• Shūtarō Matsui – guest trumpet

The principal musical programme consists of:

• Philip Sparke – Music of the Cosmos
• Musical Toy Box – Sado Yutaka’s Talk and Music, special edition featuring Shūtarō Matsui
• Ottorino Respighi – Symphonic Poem Fountains of Rome
• Ottorino Respighi – Symphonic Poem Pines of Rome
• Encore – The Star-Spangled Banner, with audience participation

The official event information describes these as planned works and warns that performers, content, programme order and pieces may be changed when necessary.

Headliners & featured artists

Yutaka Sado

Yutaka Sado leads the performance as conductor and is central to the Sado × Siena concert format. His role extends beyond conventional conducting, as the programme includes his spoken “Musical Toy Box” presentation. This part of the concert is designed to combine commentary and music, providing an accessible transition between the major repertoire works.

Siena Wind Orchestra

The Siena Wind Orchestra provides the main instrumental ensemble. Its large wind-orchestra forces allow the concert to move from brilliant brass passages to detailed woodwind writing and percussion-driven climaxes. The orchestra has worked with Sado for many years in the Brass Festival series, making the combination one of the defining features of the production. The orchestra describes the series as a special annual tour involving Sado and Siena.

Shūtarō Matsui

Trumpeter Shūtarō Matsui is the featured guest for the 2026 production. His appearance adds a solo trumpet element to the programme and introduces a new-generation performer to the Sado × Siena format. Matsui’s official information states that he will appear during the special Musical Toy Box section, while the precise music he will perform is intentionally being kept undisclosed before the concert.

Stages & performance areas

Because this is a concert rather than a multi-stage outdoor festival, there is one principal performance area: the stage of Mozart Hall.

Main concert stage

The main stage accommodates the Siena Wind Orchestra under Sado’s direction. The hall was specifically designed for orchestral performance and has a shoebox-style acoustic configuration.

Guest performance area

Shūtarō Matsui joins the main ensemble during Musical Toy Box. There is no separate guest stage; his appearance forms part of the principal concert programme.

Audience participation area

The finale can involve audience musicians joining the performance. The traditional encore Star-Spangled Banner allows attendees carrying suitable non-electric instruments to participate.

Stage-by-stage schedule

There are no separate festival stages or simultaneously running performances. The concert follows a single-stage programme.

Opening performance

The evening begins with Philip Sparke’s Music of the Cosmos, a major wind-orchestra work designed to showcase the scale, colour and power of the ensemble.

Musical Toy Box

The programme then moves into Musical Toy Box – Sado Yutaka’s Talk and Music. This section combines Sado’s commentary with musical performance and features guest trumpeter Shūtarō Matsui. The exact guest selection is not announced in advance.

Respighi programme

The major symphonic-poem portion consists of Fountains of Rome followed by Pines of Rome. These works provide contrasting musical depictions and allow the full wind orchestra to demonstrate its wide dynamic and tonal range.

Encore

The traditional finale is Star-Spangled Banner. Audience members who bring suitable non-electric instruments may be invited to participate with Siena.

The exact running order and timing of individual works have not been officially published and may change.

Set times

The officially confirmed schedule gives the following information:

• Doors open: 5:15 PM
• Concert begins: 6:00 PM
• Main programme: time to be confirmed
• Encore: following the main programme
• End time: not officially announced

Visitors should arrive early enough to locate their entrance, collect or check tickets if necessary and reach their seats before the performance begins.

There is no published individual set time for Music of the Cosmos, Musical Toy Box, Fountains of Rome or Pines of Rome. The organisers also reserve the right to change the programme.

Ticket types

The 2026 Katsushika performance uses reserved seating. The official Siena Wind Orchestra information lists the following ticket categories.

S席 general advance

Approximately $57.51.

This is the main general reserved-seat category and is intended for audiences wanting the standard S-seat allocation.

Balcony general advance

Approximately $47.92.

Balcony seating provides a different perspective inside Mozart Hall. However, the organisers specifically warn that balcony seats may have restricted visibility or sound depending on the location.

Student ticket

Approximately $25.56.

The student price is available for the specified student category under the event’s ticketing conditions.

Youth cultural experience tickets

The 2026 performance is also included in a Japanese government cultural programme providing free invitations for children from first grade of elementary school through age 18. The programme also provides a reduced companion arrangement for adults accompanying participating children. Eligibility and application conditions should be checked through the official event information.

Prices above are approximate USD conversions using a September 2026 reference exchange rate of 1 USD = 156.50 JPY.

VIP & premium options

No separate VIP package, meet-and-greet, backstage pass or premium hospitality package is listed for the Katsushika performance.

The principal seating distinction is between S seats and balcony seats. Both are reserved seating categories rather than VIP experiences.

The concert’s special elements come from the performance itself, particularly the appearance of Shūtarō Matsui, Sado’s Musical Toy Box presentation and the possible audience participation during the encore.

Event rules

Several important rules apply to the performance.

Age restriction

Children below school age are not permitted to enter the performance.

Programme changes

The advertised performers, programme and musical order are subject to change. Visitors should check the latest official information before travelling to the venue.

Balcony seating

The organisers advise that balcony seats may have obstructed views or reduced sound quality depending on the location.

Wheelchair seating

Visitors requiring wheelchair-accessible seating should contact Katsushika Symphony Hills in advance. The official contact number for the venue is 03-5670-2233.

Audience participation

For the encore, instruments may be brought into the hall if they do not require electrical power and can be safely brought into the venue. Visitors should follow the official participation instructions rather than assuming that every instrument or case will be permitted.

How to get there

Katsushika Symphony Hills is located in Tateishi, Katsushika City, on Tokyo’s eastern side. The most convenient rail access is through Keisei Aoto Station.

From Aoto Station

Keisei Aoto Station is approximately a five-minute walk from Katsushika Symphony Hills. This is the most convenient route for most concert visitors.

From Keisei Tateishi Station

Keisei Tateishi Station is approximately a seven-minute walk from the venue.

The venue is at 6-33-1 Tateishi, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 124-0012.

Public transport & parking

Public transportation is the most straightforward option for reaching the concert.

Train

Keisei Aoto Station is around five minutes on foot from the venue, while Keisei Tateishi Station is approximately seven minutes away. The official venue information also gives connections from central Tokyo through the Keisei network.

Bus

Keisei Bus services operate between JR Shin-Koiwa and JR Kameari, with a stop serving Katsushika Symphony Hills/Cultural Hall.

Venue parking

The complex has two parking areas. The underground car park has 43 spaces, while the south-side cultural hall car park has 18 spaces, for a combined 61 spaces. Both operate from 8:30 AM to 10:00 PM. The first 20 minutes are free, after which parking is charged in 20-minute increments.

Parking capacity is limited compared with the 1,318-seat hall, so visitors should not assume that spaces will be available immediately before the concert. The venue also asks visitors not to park on surrounding public roads.

Accommodation areas

Visitors coming from outside Tokyo can stay in several areas depending on their travel plans.

Aoto and Tateishi

Staying around Aoto or Tateishi keeps visitors close to the concert venue and is convenient for attending an evening performance without a long journey afterward.

Ueno

Ueno is useful for travellers arriving through northern Tokyo and provides access to the Keisei network toward Aoto. The official venue information notes that Keisei Ueno to Aoto is approximately 15 minutes by the relevant rail connection, making the wider Ueno area practical for concert visitors.

Asakusa

Asakusa is another practical base for visitors who want to combine sightseeing with the concert. The area has extensive accommodation and rail connections toward eastern Tokyo.

Tokyo Station and central Tokyo

Visitors staying around Tokyo Station, Nihonbashi or other central districts can travel east toward Katsushika by rail and return after the performance. This option provides greater choice of hotels and restaurants, although it involves a longer journey than staying around Aoto or Tateishi.

Food & drink

Katsushika Symphony Hills is part of an urban neighbourhood rather than a large isolated festival site, so visitors have access to cafés and restaurants around the venue and nearby railway stations.

The cultural complex itself includes café and food facilities, while restaurants and cafés are also available around Aoto and Tateishi.

For an evening performance beginning at 6:00 PM, visitors may prefer to eat before arriving or plan an early meal after reaching the neighbourhood. Arriving early also allows enough time to enter the venue without rushing.

Because the exact concert schedule does not include a published end time, visitors planning dinner after the performance should avoid making reservations at a time that leaves little flexibility.

Accessibility

Katsushika Symphony Hills provides accessibility facilities, and wheelchair seating is available in Mozart Hall. Visitors requiring wheelchair seating are specifically asked to contact the venue in advance at 03-5670-2233.

The Mozart Hall seating configuration includes designated wheelchair arrangements on the first floor. Accessibility information for the venue also identifies ramps and accessible routes within the complex.

Visitors with specific mobility requirements should contact the venue before purchasing or finalising seating so that the appropriate arrangement can be confirmed.

The venue’s accessibility planning is particularly important for this concert because balcony seating may have limitations in terms of viewing and sound, and the official ticket information advises visitors to consider those conditions before purchase.

Best days to attend

The 2026 Tokyo edition takes place on one date only: Friday, November 20, 2026.

Friday, November 20

This is the only Katsushika performance date, making it the appropriate day for anyone specifically wanting to experience Sado and Siena at Mozart Hall. The 6:00 PM start also allows visitors to spend part of the day sightseeing elsewhere in Tokyo before travelling to Katsushika.

For international visitors, the Friday evening timing can work well as part of a Tokyo weekend itinerary. Arriving in the neighbourhood early gives time to find the venue, have a meal or coffee and enter the hall before the 5:15 PM doors-open time.

There are no separate days to compare for the Tokyo edition because this is a single-performance engagement.

Previous year’s highlights

The most recent documented Katsushika edition before the 2026 concert was the 2024 Brass Festival performance at Mozart Hall. That concert took place on November 4, 2024, with Yutaka Sado conducting the Siena Wind Orchestra. Its programme included Alfred Reed’s Symphonic Essay “Othello,” Musical Toy Box – Sado Yutaka’s Talk and Music, and Johan de Meij’s Symphony No. 1 “The Lord of the Rings.”

The 2024 Katsushika concert also ended with the traditional audience-participation encore Star-Spangled Banner. The event was listed as sold out, showing the established interest in the Sado × Siena format at this venue.

The 2025 Brass Festival continued the same combination of large-scale wind music, Sado’s Musical Toy Box presentation and audience participation. At the 2025 tour, the programme included Reed’s Othello and de Meij’s The Lord of the Rings, while the Siena Wind Orchestra highlighted the audience-participation element and its interactive Musical Toy Box as important features of the series.

The 2026 Katsushika programme changes the major repertoire to Philip Sparke’s Music of the Cosmos and Respighi’s Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome. It also introduces guest trumpeter Shūtarō Matsui to the Sado × Siena production, giving this edition a distinct programme identity.

Official tickets

Tickets for Sado & Siena Wind Orchestra Brass Festival 2026 – Tokyo, Japan are officially available through Ticket Pia, with sales listed through November 19, 2026.

https://t.pia.jp/pia/event/event.do?eventBundleCd=b2669081

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