April 1st marked the seventh anniversary of his passing of Roland founder, Ikutaro Kakehashi. His impact on music production is undeniable. He oversaw some of the most seminal MIDI products in history.
Ikuo Kakehashi recently updated Athan Bilius of the MIDI Association on what is going on with the Kakehashi Foundation, a non-profit organization that contributes to the promotion and spread of art that applies electronic technology.
Message from the Chair of the Kakehashi Arts and Culture Foundation
Ikuo Kakehashi (son of Roland Founder Ikutaro Kakehashi, Athan BIllias (MIDI Association) and Takanori Kojima (Tokyo Gakki Expo)
The Kakehashi Arts and Culture Foundation is a public interest incorporated foundation based on the surname “Kakehashi” of the foundation’s founder, Ikutaro Kakehashi (founder of Roland Co., Ltd.), and the foundation of the arts and culture that give dreams and hopes to people in Japan and around the world. I was reborn with the desire to become a “kakehashi”
Unfortunately, the promotion of art and culture in Japan is lagging behind developed countries due to economic priority and results-based culture. I would like to create a society where culture leads the economy.
From now on, our foundation will continue to spread joy and excitement to as many people as possible through electronic technology and electronic musical instruments, in accordance with our basic philosophy of promoting and disseminating artistic culture that applies electronic technology.
Specifically, we hold performances and lectures using electronic technology, conduct appropriate and effective support activities in the field of art and culture, and conduct educational development projects such as the Japanese representative office for the Royal Musical Examinations. We would like to contribute to the spread of this technology.
We will continue to carry out even more fulfilling business activities in the hope of realizing a rich and creative society.
We look forward to your continued support and cooperation.
Akiko Santo, Chairman of the Kakehashi Arts and Culture Foundation
Artware Hub in Shinjuku
MIDI Association member AVID has partnered with the Kakehashi Foundation and created a very unique space for electronic music performances.
Shinjuku has a long history as one of Tokyo’s most vibrant areas, and Waseda is arguably the district’s cultural and creative nexus. The area is home to the renowned Waseda University, as well as numerous museums, theaters, night clubs, and performance spaces.
Waseda’s newest venue, the Artware hub, opened its doors in late 2019. Commissioned by the Kakehashi Foundation (Arts and Cultural Foundation), the space is the realization of a lifelong dream of Roland Corporation founder and visionary Ikutaro Kakehashi.
What appears at first glance to be a fairly typical live performance venue is, in fact, much more. Designed as an experimental acoustic space, the facility incorporates an unparalleled 36.8 multi-channel immersive audio system based around an Avid VENUE | S6L live sound system and FLUX:Immersive’s Spat Revolution software engine.
KVR salutes Kakehashi-San.
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