'At a festival like this, where you're collaborating with highly talented, colorful artists during a short, intense time period, there is always a risk. But the wonderful thing about 'La Folle Journee' is that the artists are given the opportunities to work with partners who they would not have otherwise met. I can rediscover my own music at this festival. It's an adventure."

So says Paris-based 24-year-old violinist Sayaka Shoji, speaking ahead of the weeklong music festival "La Folle Journee au Japon," which will be held in Tokyo from April 29.

With its "harmony of people" theme, it's appropriate that the 700,000 classical-music fans expected to attend the event will see performances by rising star Shoji and established pianist Noriko Ogawa (who is based in Britain) -- two musicians who have done their bit for internationalization.