Hiroshi Wakasugi

Infobox musical artist
Name = Hiroshi Wakasugi

---

Img_size = 180
Landscape =
Background = classical_ensemble
Born = birth date and age|1935|05|31
flagicon|JPN Tokyo, Japan
Genre = Classical
Occupation = Conductor, pedagogue
Years_active =
Associated_acts = Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich
WDR Symphony Orchestra
URL =
Current_members = nihongo|Hiroshi Wakasugi |若杉 弘|Wakasugi Hiroshi|extra=born 31 May 1935 is a Japanese orchestra conductor. He has premiered many of the major Western operas in Japan, and has been honoured with many awards for cultural achievement.

Born in Tokyo, Wakasugi studied music with Hideo Saito and Norbert Kaneko at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. After graduation, he was appointed researching conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra (Japan). From 1965, he led and developed the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra Tokyo, now one of the leading orchestras in Japan. For their premiere of Penderecki's "St. Luke Passion", Wakasugi was awarded the "National Arts Festival Prize" by the Agency for Cultural Affairs in 1968. He established the Tokyo Chamber Opera Theatre in 1969, and is currently its artistic director.

Besides leading many international orchestras, Hiroshi Wakasugi was principal conductor of the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1977 to 1983, and general music director of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Dusseldorf from 1981 to 1986. He was artistic director and principal conductor of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich, Switzerland from 1987 to 1991. From 1982 to 1991, he was also a permanent conductor at the Semperoper Dresden and Staatskapelle Dresden.

He was music director (1986-1995) and principal conductor (1987-1995) of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. In spring 1995, he was appointed a permanent conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra.

In 2005, he was named artistic consultant to the opera division of the New National Theatre, Tokyo. This post precedes his appointment as the next artistic director (i.e. Music Director of the New National Theatre), scheduled for September 2007. He is currently also the artistic director of Biwako Opera Theatre, and of the Tokyo Chamber Opera Theatre.

Hiroshi Wakasugi holds a professorship at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Toho Gakuen School of Music. He is a member of the Japan Art Academy.

External links

* [http://www.ks-schoerke.de/content/de/artists/dirigent/wakasugi/bio Künstlersekretariat Schoerke (Artist Management) biography]
* [http://www.tokyo-concerts.co.jp/index.cfm?lang=eg&menu=artists.016 Tokyo Concerts biography]
* [http://japansclassic.com/news/050811/01.html Interview (2005)]
* [http://yomikyo.yomiuri.co.jp/e/profile.htm Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra Tokyo]
* [http://chamber-opera.jp/index.html Tokyo Chamber Opera Theatre (Japanese)]