Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra

The nihongo|Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra|広島交響楽団|Hiroshima Kōkyō Gakudan is an orchestra based in Hiroshima, Japan, founded in 1963. It is the only professional orchestra in Japan's Chūgoku region.

Music Directors, Conductors and Concertmasters

*Akeo Watanabe (1984–1986)
*Ken Takaseki (1986–1990)
*Yoshikazu Tanaka (1990–1994)
*Naohiro Totsuka (1994–1998)
*Norichika Iimori, Hiroyuki Odano, Kazumasa Watanabe (1995–2002)
*Hong-Jae Kim (2002–2004)
*Kazuyoshi Akiyama (1998–)

History

*Founded as the "Hiroshima Civic Orchestra" in 1963.
*Renamed the "Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra" in 1969.
*Became a professional orchestra in 1972.
*Akeo Watanabe inaugurated as the music director and the permanent conductor in 1984.
*Held UN peace concerts in Vienna and Prague in 1991.
*Held concerts at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space in Tokyo and The Symphony Hall in Osaka in 1993.
*Performed for the opening events of the 12th Asian Games in Hiroshima in 1994.
*In the 149th regular concert, performed Krzysztof Penderecki's "Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima" in 1994.
*Performed Toshio Hosokawa's "Hiroshima Requiem" and Ikuma Dan's "Symphony No.6 'Hiroshima' to support world peace in 1995.
*Started their forum to develop the ideal picture of the local symphony for the 21 century in 1997.
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*Started the RCC TV program "Hiroshima symphony" in 1997.
*Performed Beethoven's Symphony No.5 and other works for the October in Normandy (the events with classical and modern music) in Normandy in 1997.
*Performed Toshio Hosokawa's "Memory of the Sea" in 1998.
*Kazuyoshi Akiyama was inaugurated as the first conductor in 1998.
*Held the international music festival "August in Hiroshima '99" and performed Mahler's "Symphony No.2" in 1999.
*Performed in the 3rd orchestra festival for local cities in Japan at Sumida Triphony Hall in 2000.
*Held the 200th regular concert and performed Ottorino Respighi's "The Roman trilogy (Fontane di Roma, Pini di Roma, Feste Romane)" in 2000.
*Performed Eduard Tubin's "Symphony No.3 in D minor 'Heroic'" in 2002.
*Performed in the orchestra festival for local cities in Japan in 2003.
*Performed at the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Large Hall to celebrate the 300th Anniversary of Saint Petersburg and receiving a medal from UNESCO in 2003.
*Performed in Seoul, Busan, and Daegu to celebrate Korea-Japan Friendship Year in 2005.
*Founded the Hiroshima United with Hiroshima Toyo Carp and Sanfrecce Hiroshima in 2007.

See also

* List of symphony orchestras

External links

* [http://hirokyo.or.jp/ Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra (Japanese)]
* [http://www.wel-hknk.com/ Well City Hiroshima (Japanese)]