An inspiring encounter between the founders of a remarkable partnership
Following an impressive afternoon concert, Mr. Yoshinori Kuroda, founder of Yakult in Europe, and Mr. Hartmut Haenchen, honorary conductor of the Netherlands Philharmonic, met for a heartwarming reunion.
The meeting took place at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, where Mr. Haenchen led the orchestra as guest conductor. After the performance, the two old friends reflected on a partnership that is not only unique in the world of music but also continues to inspire and connect.
Their encounter brought back memories of the beginnings of this collaboration over 30 years ago. More than three decades ago, these two visionaries laid the foundation for the extraordinary partnership between Yakult and the Netherlands Philharmonic.
As the first Managing Director of Yakult Europe, Mr. Kuroda established this collaboration, driven by the belief that music and culture enrich society.
At the same time, Mr. Haenchen, then the chief conductor of the Netherlands Philharmonic, played a crucial role in bringing this partnership to life. To this day, he remains closely involved as honorary conductor of the Netherlands Philharmonic.
The presence of Mr. Hiroyasu Matsubara, current CEO of Yakult Europe, and Ms. Fiona Arens, Director of the Netherlands Philharmonic, made this special gathering complete. The Netherlands Philharmonic is honored that Yakult continues to support the orchestra, extending our valued partnership for another two years.
The concert and the reunion marked a cherished moment of connection and gratitude to our shared belief in the power of music to inspire and connect.
Mr. Kuroda, the visionary behind the longstanding partnership between Yakult and the Netherlands Philharmonic, visited the Netherlands Philharmonic during his recent trip from Japan. As Yakult Europe’s first Managing Director, he played a pivotal role in establishing this collaboration, driven by the belief that music and culture enrich society. After a spectacular concert he met with Mr. Haenchen, who was the Netherlands Philharmonic’s chief conductor at the time the partnership began over 30 years ago, for a heartwarming reunion.
