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Hirofumi Yoshida

HIROFUMI YOSHIDA earned his bachelor's degree at the Tokyo College of Music, Conducting department. In 1994 /1995, he studied conducting with Hans Graf and Julius Kalmar at the Vienna National University of Music, master course, receiving a diploma. In 1996, he studied under Myung-Whun Chung and Juri Temirkanov at the Musical Academy Chigiana in Siena, master course. In August, he became a laureate at the 19th Master Players International Conducting Competition in Valsolda, Italy.

From 1994 to 1999, he was the assistant conductor mainly for the Nikikai Opera, and was involved in masterpieces of Mozart such as The Magic Flute, Le Nozze di Figaro, and Cosi fan tutte. In 1999, he was chosen as one of the trainees to study abroad by the Japan Agency for Cultural Affairs, and moved to Europe where he studied at the Bayern National Opera Theater, Mannheim National Theater, and the Malmo Opera Theater (Sweden). In Mannheim and Bayern National Theater, he participated in many operas as an assistant of Maestro Jun Markl.

In 2001, he was chosen as the preliminary Asian nominee at the Maazel/Vilar Conductor's Competition. In 2002, Maestro Yoshida was awarded the Most Promising Young Talent Prize in the Opera Division of the Gotoh Memorial Cultural Award. He was the first conductor in history to receive the award, which made him do further studies in Rome.

In 2003, he earned a scholarship from Rohm Music Foundation, and as a special research trainee, he has been studying at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. In May 2005, he conducted Cavalleria Rusticana and Rigoletto with the ensemble members of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, and made his debut in Italy.

He has been the music director of the Ichikawa Opera since 2004, has conducted Puccini's Edgar for the Japanese premiere and performed several works by Puccini, such as Tosca and Manon Lescaut.

In 2005, he won the 3rd prize at the 1st International Opera Conducting Competition in Memoriam Bela Bartok in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. After that, he made his debut with the Transylvania Symphony Orchestra in Romania, and performances with the Budapest Concert Orchestra (MAV Szimfonikus Zenekar). He performed with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra in the Gala Concert of the 15th Anniversary of the Gotoh Memorial Cultural Foundation.

In 2006, Maestro Yoshida engaged with concerts such as the Nippon television program Midnight Concert with the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra. In April, he conducted Serata Nijinsky-Balanchin at the Teatro Verdi in Trieste with the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's Ballet company.

In 2007, Hirofumi Yoshida performed Aida in Cairo Opera House Egypt and Leoncavallo's opera Pagliacci at Terme di Caracalla, during the Summer Season of Teatro dell' Opera di Roma on August. In the season of 2008, he conducted La Traviata in Paris, Le Nozze di Figaro in Japan, Madama Butterfly in Cairo and Don Carlos in Hong Kong.

Maestro Yoshida is the Music Director of the Ichikawa Opera, and a designated associate professor at the Toho College of Music and master at the graduate school. He currently lives in Italy. Since January 2010, he is appointed the Music Director of Mantua Opera.