Tadaaki Otaka


Tadaaki Otaka, Order of the British Empire is a Japanese and British conductor. He studied composition, theory, and French horn, at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, and later was a conducting student of Hideo Saito.

Biography

Otaka has been conductor of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and became conductor laureate since 1991. From 1981 to 1986, he was chief conductor of the Sapporo Symphony Orchestra, and since May 1998 held the titles of music adviser and principal conductor. From 1992 to 1998 he was principal conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra. He founded the Kioi Sinfonietta Tokyo in 1995, widely regarded as among Japan's best chamber ensembles, and has served as its music adviser, principal conductor, and honorary conductor laureate.
In the UK, Otaka was principal conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales from 1987 to 1995. From 1998 to 2001, he directed the Britten-Pears Orchestra.
In September 2009, Otaka was appointed principal guest conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, effective as of 2010. After the sudden departure of MSO's chief conductor Oleg Caetani in October 2009, Otaka's role was accelerated for him to assume the post in late 2009.
31 May in 2017, Otaka was appointed Artistic Advisor of the .
Otaka is currently Music Director of the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra from April 2018.
Tadaaki Otaka is International President of the Welsh Sinfonia, Wales' professional chamber orchestra, conducted by Mark Eager.

Awards

Otaka was the recipient of the 23rd Suntory Music Award in 1991. He received an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 1993, he also holds an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Wales. He was appointed an honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1997.
In 2000, Otaka became the first Japanese person to be awarded the Elgar Medal, for his efforts on behalf of the music of Edward Elgar.