The Tokyo-based Hungarian clarinettist István Kohán is one of the most exciting wind soloists around today. He launched his career by taking first prize and the audience prize at the 11th Tokyo Music Competition in 2013. Two years later, he won another first prize and audience prize at the 84th Japanese Music Competition, the country's most prestigious. In that same year, he won yet another first prize and audience prize at the Japan Woodwind Competition, followed by first prize and the grand prize at the Akiyoshidai Music Competition. Kohán has earned a total of 24 prizes at 15 competitions, including first prize at the International Clarinet Association's Young Artist Competition. In 2013, he was recognised with the Junior Prima Award for music, and he was also presented with the Aoyama Music Award in 2017. The Japanese magazine The Clarinet named Kohán 'the new hero of the clarinet world”.
In Japan, he has performed with such ensembles as the Tokyo Philharmonic, the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kioi Sinfonietta under the batons of conductors like Antonio Mendez, Kazuki Sawa, Toshiaki Umeda, Masahiko Enkoji and Shigeo Genda. He has also been invited to play at the Tokyo Spring Festival, KaposFest, La Folle Journée au Japon and the Budapest Spring Festival. In addition to his many concerts, he is also a lecturer at the Tokyo College of Music and is active as a composer. In addition to the classical repertoire at his appearances, he also plays his own compositions, arrangements and improvisations. He is always happy to expand the clarinet literature with his new compositions inspired by his musical roots. With a top klezmer musician for a father, he knows the genre as a mother tongue. Hungarian folk music is another source of inspiration for him.
István Kohán is a Yamaha Artist. The partnership with the Japanese company helps bring his musicality to an even higher level through the use of the very finest instruments.

Presented by: Papageno Consulting Kft., Jeunesses Musicales Hungary Association