Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra

History

The Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra was established in 1962 through the joint efforts of the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper group, Nippon Television Network Corporation, and Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation. Its inaugural principal conductor, American Willis Page, took the role while on leave from the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. In 1965, Hiroshi Wakasugi became the first Japanese conductor to hold the position. Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, who served as principal conductor from 1980 to 1983, later acted as principal guest conductor until 1990 and was named an honorary conductor that same year. Kurt Masur has held the honorary conductor title since 1979, and Gennady Rozhdestvensky since 1990. Tadaaki Otaka, principal conductor from 1992 to 1998, now carries the title of honorary guest conductor. Sylvain Cambreling led the orchestra from April 2010 to March 2019 and is now conductor laureate. Sebastian Weigle first guest-conducted in August 2016, returned in July 2017, and was appointed chief conductor effective April 1, 2019, under a three-year initial contract. In 1978, the orchestra recorded a fresh arrangement of the piece Hato no kyūjitsu for Nippon TV’s 25th anniversary.