NHK Symphony Orchestra

The NHK Symphony Orchestra (NHK交響楽団, NHK Kōkyō Gakudan) is a Japanese orchestra based in Tokyo. The orchestra gives concerts in several venues, including the NHK Hall, Suntory Hall, and the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall.

The orchestra began as the New Symphony Orchestra on October 5, 1926 and was the country's first professional symphony orchestra. Later, it changed its name to the Japan Symphony Orchestra. In 1951, after receiving financial support from NHK, the orchestra took its current name.

The headquarters of NHK Symphony Orchestra

The most recent music director of the orchestra was Vladimir Ashkenazy, from 2004 to 2007. Ashkenazy now has the title of conductor laureate. Charles Dutoit, the orchestra's music director from 1998 to 2003, is now its music director emeritus. Wolfgang Sawallisch, honorary conductor from 1967 to 1994, held the title of honorary conductor laureate until his death. The orchestra's current permanent conductors are Yuzo Toyama, since 1979, and Tadaaki Otaka, since 2010. Herbert Blomstedt holds the title of honorary conductor, since 1986. André Previn has the title of principal guest conductor, and is scheduled to relinquish that post in August 2012. In June 2012, the orchestra named Paavo Järvi as its next chief conductor, as of the 2015-2016 season, with an initial contract of 3 years.

Permanent Conductors and Music Directors

• Hidemaro Konoye (January 1926–February 1935)
• Josef König (April 1927–April 1929)
• Nicolai Schifferblatt (July 1929–July 1936)
• Joseph Rosenstock (August 1936–September 1946 full-time conductor; March 1956–March 1957 Principal Conductor)
• Hisatada Otaka (April 1942–February 1951† full-time conductor)
• Kazuo Yamada (April 1942–July 1951 full-time conductor)
• Shin'ichi Takata (April 1944–May 1951 full-time conductor)
• Kurt Wöss (September 1951–August 1954 Principal Conductor)
• Niklaus Aeschbacher (August 1954–March 1956 Principal Conductor)
• Wilhelm Loibner (March 1957–February 1959 Principal Conductor)
• Wilhelm Schüchter (February 1959–March 1962 Principal Conductor)
• Alexander Rumpf (August 1964–July 1965 Principal Conductor)
• Hiroyuki Iwaki (February 1969–June 2006† Permanent Conductor)
• Tadashi Mori (February 1979–May 1987† Permanent Conductor)
• Yuzo Toyama (February 1979– Permanent Conductor)
• Hiroshi Wakasugi (April 1995–July 2009† Permanent Conductor)
• Charles Dutoit (September 1996–August 1998 Principal Conductor; September 1998–August 2003 Music Director)
• Vladimir Ashkenazy (September 2004–August 2007 Music Director)
• André Previn, KBE (September 2009–August 2012 Principal Guest Conductor)
• Tadaaki Otaka, CBE (January 2010– Permanent Conductor)

Honorary Conductors

• Joseph Rosenstock (August 1951–October 1985†)
• Joseph Keilberth (January 1967–July 1968†)
• Lovro von Matačić (January 1967–January 1985†)
• Wolfgang Sawallisch (January 1967–October 1994; November 1994– Honorary Conductor Laureate; February 2013†)
• Otmar Suitner (January 1973–January 2010†)
• Horst Stein (March 1975–July 2008†)
• Herbert Blomstedt (January 1986–)
• Charles Dutoit (September 2003– Music Director Emeritus)
• Vladimir Ashkenazy (September 2007– Conductor Laureate)
• André Previn (September 2012– Guest Conductor Emeritus)

See also

• List of symphony orchestras

External links

• Official Web site