Seiji Ozawa is a Japanese conductor, known for his work with the San Francisco Symphony and Boston Symphony, and his advocacy for modern composers. At the age of 15, Ozawa sprained his finger in a rugby game, unable to continue studying the piano; he shifted his musical focus from piano performance to conducting. Over the course of his lifetime, Ozawa has received international acclaim and many awards from a number of institutions. Ozawa also holds a number of honorary doctorate degrees from schools around the globe. A familiar face in American classical music, Seiji Ozawa has influenced many, through passionate conducting with technical brilliance and “a sense of ferocity” (Midgette) that captured the viewer. Seiji Ozawa was born on September
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Instead, Ozawa conducted the NHK Symphony Orchestra’s rival, the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1964, Ozawa was appointed as the first music director of the Ravinia Festival, the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and was there until 1968, serving as the festival’s principal conductor in 1969. He served as Music Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1965 to 1969. After Toronto, Ozawa led the San Francisco Symphony from 1970 to 1977, leading the symphony in its first commercial recordings in a decade, in 1972, with music inspired by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The San Francisco orchestra took a European tour, including a Paris concert, led by Ozawa in 1973. However, Ozawa left the San Francisco Orchestra after a dispute with a players committee over the issue of granting tenure to two young musicians selected by Ozawa. He was the resident conductor for the Singapore Philharmonic Orchestra from 1977 to 1979, and ended up returning to San Francisco as a guest conductor in 1978 for a concert featuring music from Tchaikovsky’s ballet, Swan Lake. Ozawa is also the first and only Japanese conductor to have been Music Director of the Vienna State Opera, directing from
Instead, Ozawa conducted the NHK Symphony Orchestra’s rival, the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1964, Ozawa was appointed as the first music director of the Ravinia Festival, the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and was there until 1968, serving as the festival’s principal conductor in 1969. He served as Music Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1965 to 1969. After Toronto, Ozawa led the San Francisco Symphony from 1970 to 1977, leading the symphony in its first commercial recordings in a decade, in 1972, with music inspired by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The San Francisco orchestra took a European tour, including a Paris concert, led by Ozawa in 1973. However, Ozawa left the San Francisco Orchestra after a dispute with a players committee over the issue of granting tenure to two young musicians selected by Ozawa. He was the resident conductor for the Singapore Philharmonic Orchestra from 1977 to 1979, and ended up returning to San Francisco as a guest conductor in 1978 for a concert featuring music from Tchaikovsky’s ballet, Swan Lake. Ozawa is also the first and only Japanese conductor to have been Music Director of the Vienna State Opera, directing from