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Dedication of Leonard Bernstein sculpture and garden at the Pacific Music Festival's 25th Anniversary
Posted August 5, 2014
We are thrilled to announce that Pacific Music Festival erected a statue in honor of founder Leonard Bernstein at its 25th anniversary celebration this past July in the lovely city of Sapporo. Bernstein co-founded PMF along with Michael Tilson Thomas and Clive Gillinson in 1990. Modeled after festivals like Tanglewood Music Fest and Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, PMF was to be Bernstein’s Asian expansion of summer training schools for young classical musicians. To date, PMF has inducted nearly 3000 students into the PMF Academy, serving to expand music education and appreciation worldwide, continuing his legacy of arts education well into the 21st century.
In addition, the Pacific Music Festival also staged a 25th anniversary Special Concert in honor of conductor, composer, and PMF founder Leonard Bernstein. This concert attempts to capture the spirit of Bernstein through performances of the "Clarinet Sonata," the orchestral version of which was given its world premiere at PMF 1994 in the Sapporo Shimin Kaikan, "Halil," ("flute" in Hebrew), which was conceived as a prayer for peace, and the "Adagietto," with its superbly beautiful melody, from the 5th Symphony of Mahler, whose symphonies were often excellently performed and recorded by Bernstein himself. It featured members of PMF EUROPE performing as soloists. 
Craig Urquhart (second from right), former Bernstein assistant and current VP for Promotion for the Leonard Bernstein Office,
at the statue's dedication ceremony in Sapporo with the city's mayor and delegates from the Pacific Music Festival. 
The Leonard Bernstein sculpture by Ryohei Miyata, President of the Tokyo University of the Arts.
Bernstein Place Opening Ceremony with Jamie Bernstein.