Toshimitsu Kimura, Sapporo-born baritone and Professor Emeritus of Toho Gakuen School of Music, passed away on April 17 at the age of 81. Kimura performed as a soloist in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 at the first PMF in 1990, and from 1996 to 2020 served the PMF Organizing Committee in various roles, including as a member of the Board of Directors, and ultimately as Chairman of the PMF Administrative Advisory Board. He was instrumental to the creation of the PMF Vocal Academy program that began in 2015, drawing on his extensive network and deep musical knowledge to sustain its development across its 5-year span. We are deeply grateful for his countless contributions to PMF across the decades. May he rest in peace.

April 24, 2026
PMF Organizing Committee