Junichi Hirokami, conductor
Born in Tokyo in 1958, Junichi Hirokami studied conducting, piano, musicology and viola at the prestigious Tokyo College of Music. He began his conducting career at age 26, after winning the first Kondrashin International Conducting Competition in Amsterdam. The Japan Philharmonic named Maestro Hirokami its Principal Guest Conductor in 1991 and other regular engagements in Japan include concerts with the NHK Symphony Orchestra, Osaka Philharmonic, Sapporo Symphony, Kyushu Symphony and the Sendai Philharmonic. Mr. Hirokami also previously held the posts of Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and as Chief Conductor of the Norrkoping Symphony. He was also principal guest conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic from 1997-2000.

Mr. Hirokami launched his North American career in 1996 conducting the Toronto Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Los Angles Philharmonic and Dallas Symphony. During the 2004-05 season, Mr. Hirokami returns to North America to conduct the Vancouver Symphony as well as the Columbus and Baltimore symphony orchestras.

Mr. Hirokami has conducted major orchestras in Europe including the Concertgebouw, the Oslo and Stockholm philharmonics, the Vienna Symphony, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, and the Madrid Symphony Orchestra. He was the first Japanese conductor to direct the Israel Philharmonic, and continues his appearances there every two years under special engagement.

Mr. Hirokami’s debut in April 2000 with the Philharmonia Orchestra of London followed successes with the London Philharmonic, London Symphony, and several of the regional and BBC Orchestras. With the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra he recorded a highly praised release of Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 and Berlioz’s Symphony fantastique for Denon.