Hello. My name is Yoshinao Kihara.
I am a conductor and composer, currently serving as the Principal Conductor of the Philharmonic Chorus of Tokyo.
For the past 15 years, I have been blessed to share global stages with a number of reputable symphonies and choral and opera companies, such as Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (NOSPR) and Wiener Singverein. I enjoy collaborating with artists from different genres and conducting all kinds of music, ranging from baroque string quartets to modern oratorios and to theatrical spectacles like “Einstein on the Beach” by Philip Glass, a remake of the 1976 opera that premiered in Japan recently.
I owe my career success to the late maestro Seiji Ozawa, who took me under his wing at 16 after I won a competitive scholarship to attend Rohm Music Foundation’s Music Seminar. My classical training has allowed me to explore my interest in not only conducting but also composition, and creating music for movies and TV shows. In January 2025, I will be conducting my own work commissioned by the Philharmonic Chorus of Tokyo.
Toru Takemitsu and Toshiro Mayuzumi are two Japanese contemporary composers who’ve succeeded in making both film music and classical music. I admire them for the way they pushed boundaries and collaborated with artists from different fields. I have studied and learned from their techniques of mixing different instruments, and try to emulate their devotion to their craft.
For me, performing music is about creating hope. I love introducing the works of today’s composers from around the world. I also feel passionate about making my own music for all types of performances, because I believe that it can help us build a positive future together.