Jonathan Nott Named Next Music Director of the Tokyo Symphony

Tokyo Symphony Orchestra Chairman Hideo Sawada and Managing Director and Executive Director Junji Ohno announced today that conductor Jonathan Nott will become the Orchestra's next Music Director, beginning in 2014-15 season. The initial agreement is for three years.

As the Tokyo Symphony's third Music Director, Mr. Nott, will succeed Hubert Soudant, whose tenure began in 2004 and ended with the 2013/14 season. Mr. Nott will conduct the Tokyo Symphony for eight weeks each year.

Mr. Nott made his debut with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra in October 2011 conducting Debussy's Sirenes from Nocturnes, Schoenberg's Piano Concerto op. 42 with soloist Yu Kosuge and Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe (full version). This single collaboration proved a fortuitous encounter.

Born in 1962, Mr. Nott is now Principal Conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and frequently guest conducts the world's leading orchestras including the Berlin, New York and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestras and the Royal Concertgebouw, Tonhalle and Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestras. Mr. Nott has exercised his superb artistic sensibility in an extensive repertoire ranging from classic to contemporary works.

"I first conducted the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra in October 2011 and it was immediately clear that there was an enormous rapport," said Jonathan Nott. "The morning after the final performance, actually on the way to Narita airport, I received the invitation to take up the post of Music Director and I accepted without hesitation. What appealed to me most about making music with this orchestra was the freshness of The Players' approach, their commitment to the spontaneity of live performance, and their dedication and sense of good humor in achieving these goals."