Toshiyuki Shimada
Encyclopedia
Toshiyuki Shimada is a Japanese
American orchestral conductor
. He is Music Director of both Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra in New London, CT, and Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes in Corning, NY. He has been Music Director of the Yale Symphony Orchestra
of Yale University
since 2005, and has been Principal Conducting of the Vienna Modern Masters, in Vienna, Austria, since 1998. He is also Music Director Laureate of the Portland Symphony Orchestra
, in Portland, Maine
, which he was Music Director from 1986 to 2006. Prior to Portland, he was Associate Conductor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra
for six years, beginning in 1981. He also serves as Principal Conductor of the Vienna Modern Masters, in Austria since 1998.
Shimada has been a frequent guest conductor of the European orchestras such as the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra, the Prague Chamber Orchestra, the Slovak Philharmonic, NÖ Tonkünstler Orchestra in Vienna, Le Orchestre National de Lille, in France, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra at the Edinburgh Festival. He has conducted in Mexico, with la Orquesta Filhamonico de Jalisco in Guadalajara.
He has also guest conducted the Houston Symphony, Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra
, San Jose Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops Orchestra
, Pacific Symphony
, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
, and many other US and Canadian orchestras. He has collaborated with distinguished artists such as Itzhak Perlman, Andre Watts, Emanual Ax, Yefim Bronfman, Peter Serkin, Edil Biret, Janos Starker, Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn, Nadjia Salerno-Sonnenberg, Cho-Liang Lin, James Galway, Evelyn Glennie, Barry Tuckwell, and Doc Severinsen.
In addition to these activities, he has held the position as Artistic Advisor of Tulare Country Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Nassau Symphony Orchestra, in New York, Music Director of the Cambiata Soloists, a contemporary music ensemble in Houston, Music Director of the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra at Rice University, and Music Director of the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra in Los Angeles.
conducting competition in Berlin, and a Fellow Conductor in the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute, in 1983. He has received many awards and honors such as Ariel Musician of the Year in 2003 from the Ariel Records, ASCAP award, Portland Fire Department's Merit Award, the Maine Publicity Bureau Cultural Award, the Italian Heritage Society Cultural Award, Toshiyuki Shimada Day in Houston, Toshiyuki Shimada Week in Portland, Maine, and Toshiyuki Shimada Day in the State of Maine. On May, 2006, he was awarded Honorary Doctorate Degree in Fine Arts by the Maine College of Arts.
, Herbert von Karajan
, Herbert Blomstedt
, Hans Swarovsky, Michael Tilson Thomas
, Sergiu Commisiona and David Whitwell.
He was born in Tokyo, Japan, and moved to the United States when he was 15. He has attended the University of Southern California
, California State University, Northridge
, and the University of Vienna for Music and Performing Art. He has also studied the clarinet with Dominick Fera in California and Rudolf Jettel in Vienna. He was selected as a fellow conductor for the Herbert Blomsted International Conducting Institute, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute
.
and Department of Music in Yale University
. In the past, he has taught at the University of Southern Maine
and Rice University
, and was Artist Faculty of the Texas Institute of the Aesthetic Study.
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...
American orchestral 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...
. He is Music Director of both Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra in New London, CT, and Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes in Corning, NY. He has been Music Director of the Yale Symphony Orchestra
Yale Symphony Orchestra
The Yale Symphony Orchestra is a symphony orchestra at Yale University which performs in Yale's Woolsey Hall and tours internationally and domestically. The present Music Director is Toshiyuki Shimada.-History:...
of Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
since 2005, and has been Principal Conducting of the Vienna Modern Masters, in Vienna, Austria, since 1998. He is also Music Director Laureate of the Portland Symphony Orchestra
Portland Symphony Orchestra
The Portland Symphony Orchestra, established in 1923 in Portland, Maine, is a fully professional symphony that is recognized as being one of the top orchestras of its size in the country. The orchestra performs a wide variety of concerts, frequently featuring guest artists, at the Merrill...
, in Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, which he was Music Director from 1986 to 2006. Prior to Portland, he was Associate Conductor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra
Houston Symphony Orchestra
The Houston Symphony is an American orchestra based in Houston, Texas. Since 1966, it has performed at the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts in downtown Houston....
for six years, beginning in 1981. He also serves as Principal Conductor of the Vienna Modern Masters, in Austria since 1998.
Shimada has been a frequent guest conductor of the European orchestras such as the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra, the Prague Chamber Orchestra, the Slovak Philharmonic, NÖ Tonkünstler Orchestra in Vienna, Le Orchestre National de Lille, in France, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra at the Edinburgh Festival. He has conducted in Mexico, with la Orquesta Filhamonico de Jalisco in Guadalajara.
He has also guest conducted the Houston Symphony, Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra
Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra
The Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra, the resident summer orchestra of the Chautauqua Institution in western New York State. Founded in 1929, the ensemble plays concerts on most Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights throughout the Institution's nine-week season. The CSO...
, San Jose Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops Orchestra
Boston Pops Orchestra
The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in playing light classical and popular music....
, Pacific Symphony
Pacific Symphony
The Pacific Symphony is a symphony orchestra located in Orange County, California. The orchestra performs at the Renée and Henry Segerstom Concert Hall, part of the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa, California...
, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
As the professional orchestra of Alberta's creative capital city, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra presents over 85 concerts a year of symphonic music in all genres, from classical to country...
, and many other US and Canadian orchestras. He has collaborated with distinguished artists such as Itzhak Perlman, Andre Watts, Emanual Ax, Yefim Bronfman, Peter Serkin, Edil Biret, Janos Starker, Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn, Nadjia Salerno-Sonnenberg, Cho-Liang Lin, James Galway, Evelyn Glennie, Barry Tuckwell, and Doc Severinsen.
In addition to these activities, he has held the position as Artistic Advisor of Tulare Country Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Nassau Symphony Orchestra, in New York, Music Director of the Cambiata Soloists, a contemporary music ensemble in Houston, Music Director of the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra at Rice University, and Music Director of the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra in Los Angeles.
Awards and honors
He was a finalist in the 1979 Herbert von KarajanHerbert von Karajan
Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor. To the wider world he was perhaps most famously associated with the Berlin Philharmonic, of which he was principal conductor for 35 years...
conducting competition in Berlin, and a Fellow Conductor in the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute, in 1983. He has received many awards and honors such as Ariel Musician of the Year in 2003 from the Ariel Records, ASCAP award, Portland Fire Department's Merit Award, the Maine Publicity Bureau Cultural Award, the Italian Heritage Society Cultural Award, Toshiyuki Shimada Day in Houston, Toshiyuki Shimada Week in Portland, Maine, and Toshiyuki Shimada Day in the State of Maine. On May, 2006, he was awarded Honorary Doctorate Degree in Fine Arts by the Maine College of Arts.
Recording activities
Shimada is very active in the recording industry, namely with the Vienna Modern Masters label, and with the Moravian Philharmonic, and currently he has fourteen Compact Discs. The newest CD titled “Toshiyuki Shimada Conducts” has been issued in April, 2007. He also records for the Capstone Records and the Albany Records. His recording of Renaissance, Baroque and Classical works with the Prague Chamber Orchestra and Prague Chamber Singers will soon to be released by the Trinity Music Partners, LLC, in the Vatican Music Library Collection label. In 2008, a new Naxos recording of Gregory Hutter's music was released.Education
Shimada was studied with many conductors including Leonard BernsteinLeonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
, Herbert von Karajan
Herbert von Karajan
Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor. To the wider world he was perhaps most famously associated with the Berlin Philharmonic, of which he was principal conductor for 35 years...
, Herbert Blomstedt
Herbert Blomstedt
Herbert Blomstedt is a Swedish conductor.Herbert Blomstedt was born in Springfield, Massachusetts and two years after his birth, his Swedish parents moved the family back to their country of origin...
, Hans Swarovsky, Michael Tilson Thomas
Michael Tilson Thomas
Michael Tilson Thomas is an American conductor, pianist and composer. He is currently music director of the San Francisco Symphony, and artistic director of the New World Symphony Orchestra.-Early years:...
, Sergiu Commisiona and David Whitwell.
He was born in Tokyo, Japan, and moved to the United States when he was 15. He has attended the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge is a public university in Northridge, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, United States....
, and the University of Vienna for Music and Performing Art. He has also studied the clarinet with Dominick Fera in California and Rudolf Jettel in Vienna. He was selected as a fellow conductor for the Herbert Blomsted International Conducting Institute, 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...
.
Teaching positions
In the educational field, he is currently Associate Professor of Conducting in both the Yale School of MusicYale School of Music
The Yale School of Music is one of the twelve professional schools at Yale University and one of the premier music conservatories in the world....
and Department of Music in Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. In the past, he has taught at the University of Southern Maine
University of Southern Maine
The University of Southern Maine is a multi-campus public urban comprehensive university and part of the University of Maine System. USM's three primary campuses are located in Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston...
and Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
, and was Artist Faculty of the Texas Institute of the Aesthetic Study.