Conductor YoshinaoKihara

At the age of 16, while still in his first year of high school, he was selected through an audition by the internationally renowned conductor Seiji Ozawa and began studying conducting under his guidance. He further developed his artistry through participation in the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy and the Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto (now the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival), where he conducted opera productions for young audiences and orchestral concerts.

After graduating from the Piano Department of the Music High School attached to the Faculty of Music at Tokyo University of the Arts in 2006, he moved to Europe. He completed master’s degree programs in Orchestral Conducting, Choral Conducting, and Répétiteur Studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, graduating with highest distinction and receiving the Würdigungspreis. He also completed the Advanced Professional Training for Conductors program at the graduate school of the Berlin University of the Arts.

He has been awarded scholarships from the Rohm Music Foundation and the Honjo International Scholarship Foundation, and studied for three years as an Overseas Study Program Fellow of Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs. He was also awarded the 25th Goto Memorial Cultural Award for Opera Newcomers.

In recent years, he conducted productions including the 50th Anniversary Opera Series Vol.1 of Kanagawa Kenmin Hall, Einstein on the Beach by Robert Wilson and Philip Glass (stage direction by Shintaro Hirahara), as well as the New National Theatre Tokyo Opera Studio production of Scenes Recital 2023 (directed by David Edwards).

Through his work in opera conducting, he received the 31st Mitsubishi UFJ Trust Music Award and the 35th Music Pen Club Music Award (Contemporary Music Division) in 2023.

He has conducted ensembles including the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Theater Magdeburg, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, City of Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, Gunma Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa, Yamagata Symphony Orchestra, and the New National Theatre Chorus, among others.

Composer

While studying in Europe, his String Quartet Momentan (Time) won a composition competition commemorating the 200th anniversary of the death of Joseph Haydn and was premiered at Esterházy Palace.

He developed an interest in composition from early childhood and began studying composition with composer and music educator Tomoko Tanaka. From the age of ten, he studied composition under Teruyuki Noda.

Although he entered the Piano Department of the Music High School attached to Tokyo University of the Arts, he continued composition studies with Teruyuki Noda until graduation. Upon graduating from high school, he moved to Europe and entered the conducting and piano departments of the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, studying composition with Axel Seidelmann.

In recent years, while appearing as conductor in the City of Kyoto Symphony Orchestra concert series Everyone’s Concert 2022: Let’s Play with Mozart – Let’s Begin Our Journey into Classical Music, he created and conducted his own orchestral arrangement of Ah! vous dirai-je, maman (Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star Variations). The work is scheduled to be performed by the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra in March 2026.

In 2023, for a recording project by Mozart Singers Japan, led by baritone Masumitsu Miyamoto, he was responsible for completion and piano reduction of L'oca del Cairo and Lo sposo deluso, Mozart’s unfinished operas. These works were staged by Mozart Singers Japan at Oji Hall in February 2025.

Commissioned by the Philharmonic Chorus of Tokyo, his new work EMOTIONS - KI・ DO・AI・RAKU - Joy, Anger, Sorrow and Pleasure for a cappella chorus was premiered under his own baton at the choir’s 266th Subscription Concert in January 2025.

In 2014, he won First Prize at the 4th Tokyo Cantat Choral Conducting Competition for Young Conductors, also receiving both the Renaissance Prize and the Choir Prize. In 2016, upon recommendation by the Wiener Musikverein, he conducted the visiting Wiener Musikverein Choir at the Sumida Peace Memorial Concert held at Sumida Triphony Hall, performing works including Requiem and motets by Anton Bruckner.

From April 2019 to March 2025, he served as Principal Conductor of the Philharmonic Chorus of Tokyo, conducting numerous subscription concerts, special performances, Agency for Cultural Affairs projects, and educational concerts. During this tenure, he actively championed contemporary and modern repertoire by composers such as Olivier Messiaen, Philip Glass, Wolfram Gardenstätter, Gerald Finzi, Anders Hillborg, Arnold Schönberg, Toru Takemitsu, Akira Miyoshi, Hikaru Hayashi, Toshi Ichiyanagi, Shinichiro Ikebe, Junji Mitsuishi, and Misato Mochizuki.

In 2023, he conducted the Choral Festival of the 38th National Cultural Festival, “Ishikawa Hyakumangoku Cultural Festival,” leading Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa and the festival chorus. In 2026, he is scheduled to conduct Requiem (Beyer edition) with Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa and the Gargantua Music Festival Special Chorus at the Gargantua Music Festival, as well as Ein deutsches Requiem and other works at the Kusatsu International Summer Music Academy and Festival.

He has also served as chorus master for concerts and opera productions conducted by distinguished conductors including Riccardo Muti, Charles Dutoit, Trevor Pinnock, Jonathan Nott, Jakub Hrůša, Christian Arming, and Elias Grandy.

He has furthermore served as jury for the National and Regional Competitions of the All Japan Choral Competition, Vocal Ensemble Contests, and the NHK National School Music Competition, as well as lecturer at choral workshops throughout Japan.

Currently, he serves as Lecturer at Kunitachi College of Music, where since April 2018 he has taught choral classes for first- and second-year vocal majors as well as conducting classes. He has conducted numerous university productions, including Vocal Department Choral Concerts, the contemporary music concert series What Is Heard, What Is Transmitted, and composition concerts featuring works by composition students.

He also serves as Visiting Lecturer at the graduate school of Toho Gakuen School of Music and as Lecturer at the Nikikai Opera Studio.

He is also active as an accompanist and répétiteur.

After studying piano at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, he completed a master’s degree in piano performance at the Royal Academy of Music.

He has served as accompanist for recital and concert tours by Japan’s leading prima donna Shinobu Sato, and has collaborated with artists including Tadao Yoshie and Dmitry Korchak. He has also appeared at the Suntory Hall Summer Festival with Jörg Widmann and Carolyn Widmann, and has collaborated with the Philharmonic Chorus of Tokyo and other ensembles.

He served as répétiteur for the Chorus of the Graz Opera, while also working as a teaching assistant répétiteur at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz.