Kazuki Yamada will become the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s Chief Conductor and Artistic Advisor in April 2023, succeeding Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla.
Yamada has been the orchestra’s Principal Guest Conductor since 2018 and commented on his new role: “I first worked with the CBSO in 2012 and felt immediately a very sincere connection with the players. This connection has really grown and developed over the last nine years. We went on tour together to Japan in 2016 and it was one of the highlights of my career. After this the relationship was so much deeper. I am so happy, thrilled and above all honoured to be continuing our journey together”.
He is currently Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo. In Japan he holds further titles of Permanent Conductor of the Japan Philharmonic and Principal Guest Conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra. In 2019 he brought the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus on tour to Monte Carlo for a performance of Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’, following their performance of the work in Birmingham. There are future plans to continue this association, with performances of Carl Orff’s ‘Carmina Burana’ planned in both Birmingham and Monaco.
As a guest conductor, Yamada is in demand with international orchestras including Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Philharmonia Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, MDR Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, National Symphony Orchestra Washington and NHK Symphony Orchestra.