Heiichiro Ohyama
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
conductor
and violist
.
He has a long-established reputation as a remarkable conductor and one of the nation’s most renowned violists. In addition to his post as Music Director and Conductor of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, he is also the Principal Chief Conductor of Kyushu Symphony Orchestra in Fukuoka, Fukuoka
, Japan
.
Ohyama has always been in demand as a violist and has performed throughout the United States and abroad as recitalist and chamber musician at festivals including Casals Festival
, Kuhumo International Festival (Finland
), Johannesen International Music Festival (Canada
), Okinawa Moon Beach Music Festival (Japan
), Brescia
and Bergamo
Festivals (Italy
), Chamber Music Northwest
, Sarasota Music Festival
and Caramor Chamber Music Festival. He has collaborated with many of the soloist around the world, including Lynn Harrell
, Gidon Kremer
, Radu Lupu
, Lynnette Seah
, Isaac Stern
, and Alexander Souptel.
In 1974, he won the Young Concert Artists International Auditions which led to his New York City recital debut at Carnegie Hall
. In 1979, he was named Principal Violist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic
under Carlo Maria Giulini
, a position he held for 13 years. In 1981, he began conducting the Youth String Orchestra of the Crossroads School for Sciences and Arts. In 1983, he was appointed Music Director and Conductor of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra. In 1986, Ohyama was appointed Assistant Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Maestro André Previn
. He held this position for four years and conducted the Philharmonic in many concerts, including subscription concerts at the Los Angeles Music Center
, the Hollywood Bowl
and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute
.
He has also held the positions of Principal Conductor of the Round Top Music Festival in Texas
, Music Director and Conductor of the Northwest Chamber Orchestra in Seattle, Music Director and Conductor of the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra
in New York
, Artistic Director of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and of the La Jolla Chamber Music Society’s SummerFest La Jolla. He was a professor of music in the University of California
school system for over 30 years.
In 1990, Ohyama made his European conducting debut with the Orchestra of the Opera de Lyon and in two concerts with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
at the Royal Festival Hall in London. Since then, he has made conducting appearances with the San Diego Symphony
, Baltimore Symphony, Singapore Symphony Orchestra
, New Mexico Symphony, Ohio Chamber Orchestra, Brandenburg Symphony Orchestra (Germany), Hale Symphony (England), Sapporo Symphony, Kyoto Symphony and Toho Music School Orchestra (Japan), New York Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Ohio Chamber Orchestra, Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, Royal Academy Sinfonietta (England), as well as conducted the San Francisco Symphony for its Wet Ink Festival. He also took the Asia America Symphony Orchestra on a tour of Japan in 1992.
He studied at the Toho Gakuen School of Music
in Japan.
-Santa Barbara News Press
"The concert was led by Heiichiro Ohyama with characteristic vigor and grace."
-Santa Barbara Independent
"Mr. Ohyama also led the seemingly underrehearsed orchestra in Rossini's "Italiana in Algeri" Overture.
New York Times. Thursday, February 15, 2007
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
and violist
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
.
He has a long-established reputation as a remarkable conductor and one of the nation’s most renowned violists. In addition to his post as Music Director and Conductor of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, he is also the Principal Chief Conductor of Kyushu Symphony Orchestra in Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Ohyama has always been in demand as a violist and has performed throughout the United States and abroad as recitalist and chamber musician at festivals including Casals Festival
Casals Festival
The Casals Festival is a classical music event celebrated every year in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in honor of world renowned musician Pablo Casals.-Background:...
, Kuhumo International Festival (Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
), Johannesen International Music Festival (Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
), Okinawa Moon Beach Music Festival (Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
), Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
and Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
Festivals (Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
), Chamber Music Northwest
Chamber Music Northwest
Chamber Music Northwest is an American non-profit organization in Portland, Oregon that is dedicated to the performance and promotion of chamber music. The organization's main presentation is an annual five-week summer festival that occurs during the months of June and July...
, Sarasota Music Festival
Sarasota Music Festival
Sarasota Music Festival is an American classical music festival held annually during the month of June in Sarasota, Florida under the sponsorship of the Sarasota Orchestra. The Festival was founded in 1965 by conductor Paul Wolfe who remained director of the festival through the summer of 2006....
and Caramor Chamber Music Festival. He has collaborated with many of the soloist around the world, including Lynn Harrell
Lynn Harrell
Lynn Harrell is an American classical cellist.-Biography:Harrell was born in New York City of musician parents; his father was the baritone Mack Harrell and his mother, Marjorie Fulton, was a violinist. At the age of eight he decided to learn to play the cello. When Lynn was 12, his family moved...
, Gidon Kremer
Gidon Kremer
Gidon Kremer is a Latvian violinist and conductor. In 1980 he left the USSR and settled in Germany.-Biography:Kremer was born in Riga to parents of German-Jewish and Latvian-Swedish origins. He began playing the violin at the age of four, receiving instruction from his father and his grandfather,...
, Radu Lupu
Radu Lupu
Radu Lupu is a Romanian concert pianist. He has won a number of the most prestigious awards in classical piano, including first prizes in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition....
, Lynnette Seah
Lynnette Seah
Lynnette Seah Mei Tsing is an internationally acclaimed Singaporean violinist serving as co-leader of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as the only musician to have performed full-time with the SSO since 1979 - a position she is holding on at the Symphony together with Alexander Souptel.She is...
, Isaac Stern
Isaac Stern
Isaac Stern was a Ukrainian-born violinist. He was renowned for his recordings and for discovering new musical talent.-Biography:Isaac Stern was born into a Jewish family in Kremenets, Ukraine. He was fourteen months old when his family moved to San Francisco...
, and Alexander Souptel.
In 1974, he won the Young Concert Artists International Auditions which led to his New York City recital debut at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
. In 1979, he was named Principal Violist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
under Carlo Maria Giulini
Carlo Maria Giulini
Carlo Maria Giulini was an Italian conductor.-Biography:Giulini was born in Barletta, Italy, to a father born in Lombardy and a mother born in Naples; but he was raised in Bolzano, which at the time of his birth was part of Austria...
, a position he held for 13 years. In 1981, he began conducting the Youth String Orchestra of the Crossroads School for Sciences and Arts. In 1983, he was appointed Music Director and Conductor of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra. In 1986, Ohyama was appointed Assistant Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Maestro André Previn
André Previn
André George Previn, KBE is an American pianist, conductor, and composer. He is considered one of the most versatile musicians in the world, and is the winner of four Academy Awards for his film work and ten Grammy Awards for his recordings. -Early Life:Previn was born in...
. He held this position for four years and conducted the Philharmonic in many concerts, including subscription concerts at the Los Angeles Music Center
Los Angeles Music Center
The Music Center is one of the three largest performing arts centers in the nation. Located in downtown Los Angeles, the Music Center is home to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ahmanson Theater, Mark Taper Forum and Walt Disney Concert Hall...
, the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute
Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute
The Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute was a summer training program held in Los Angeles, California for conservatory aged orchestral instrumentalists and conductors...
.
He has also held the positions of Principal Conductor of the Round Top Music Festival in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Music Director and Conductor of the Northwest Chamber Orchestra in Seattle, Music Director and Conductor of the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra
Cayuga Chamber Orchestra
The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Lanfranco Marcelletti, Jr., is based in Ithaca, New York. The 2010-2011 season will mark its 34th year...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Artistic Director of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and of the La Jolla Chamber Music Society’s SummerFest La Jolla. He was a professor of music in the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
school system for over 30 years.
In 1990, Ohyama made his European conducting debut with the Orchestra of the Opera de Lyon and in two concerts with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
at the Royal Festival Hall in London. Since then, he has made conducting appearances with the San Diego Symphony
San Diego Symphony
The San Diego Symphony is an American symphony orchestra, based in San Diego, California. On 6 December 1910, it gave its first concert as the San Diego Civic Orchestra.Currently, the Symphony performs over 100 concerts each season...
, Baltimore Symphony, Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Singapore Symphony Orchestra
The Singapore Symphony Orchestra is a 96 members professional symphony orchestra. Its main performing venue is the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore although it has also toured widely in Asia, Europe and the United States...
, New Mexico Symphony, Ohio Chamber Orchestra, Brandenburg Symphony Orchestra (Germany), Hale Symphony (England), Sapporo Symphony, Kyoto Symphony and Toho Music School Orchestra (Japan), New York Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Ohio Chamber Orchestra, Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, Royal Academy Sinfonietta (England), as well as conducted the San Francisco Symphony for its Wet Ink Festival. He also took the Asia America Symphony Orchestra on a tour of Japan in 1992.
He studied at the Toho Gakuen School of Music
Toho Gakuen School of Music
is a private conservatoire located in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan.-History:Toho Gakuen was founded in 1948 in Kudan as a music school for children, and two years later opened the Toho High School of Music, to provide quality musical education to teenage girls. 1955 saw the establishment of the Junior...
in Japan.
Reviews
"Heiichiro Ohyama's programming continues to be a model of sense and sensibility...he knows the secret of instilling a familiar piece with new life, and conducts it as if it's the first time anyone in the hall has really heard it."-Santa Barbara News Press
"The concert was led by Heiichiro Ohyama with characteristic vigor and grace."
-Santa Barbara Independent
Santa Barbara Independent
The Santa Barbara Independent is a news, arts, and entertainment newspaper published every Thursday in Santa Barbara, California.-History:The paper was founded in November 1986...
"Mr. Ohyama also led the seemingly underrehearsed orchestra in Rossini's "Italiana in Algeri" Overture.
New York Times. Thursday, February 15, 2007