YUASA, TAKUO

Takuo Yuasa was born in Osaka where he studied piano, cello, flute and clarinet. At eighteen he left Japan to study in the United States at the University of Cincinnati, where he completed a Bachelor Degree in Theory and Composition. He later moved to Europe to study conducting with Hans Swarowsky at the Hochschule in Vienna, then with Igor Markevich in France and with Franco Ferrara in Siena before he became assistant to Lovro von Matacic, working with him in Monte Carlo, Milan and Vienna. Since winning a Special Award at the Fitelberg International Conducting Competition in Katowice, Poland, Takuo Yuasa has frequently conducted the major orchestras there, including the Warsaw National Philharmonic and Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestras.

Takuo Yuasa conducts several of the main Japanese orchestras, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, and the Osaka Century Orchestra, with which he has conducted complete cycles of Brahms and Schumann symphonies. Outside Japan he has conducted the Oslo Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony, London Philharmonic, New Zealand Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Brabants Orkest, Luxemburg Philharmonic, Adelaide and Queensland Symphony Orchestras and in the Unied Kingdom he has been a frequent visitor to the Hallé Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, while his musicianship and infectious leadership has attracted several European music conservatories and the national youth orchestras of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Eire to engage him to conduct a new generation of performer. He has held long-term positions as Principal Conductor of the Gumma Symphony Orchestra in Japan, as Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and as the hugely successful Principal Guest Conductor of the Ulster Orchestra in Northern Ireland, a position he held for eight years.

He has a successful recording career as an exclusive Naxos artist with orchestras including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and others. His versatility and breadth of repertoire are recognised by orchestras around the world which engage him to conduct standard core repertoire as well as less well-known pieces by major composers.

Albums featuring this artist are available for download from ClassicsOnline.com
A TO Z OF CLASSICAL MUSIC	8.555319-20
AKUTAGAWA: Ellora Symphony / Trinita Sinfonica / Rhapsody	8.555975
AMERICAN CLASSICS SAMPLER	8.559118
Art & Music: Klimt - Music of His Time	8.558146
BEKKU: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2	8.557763
BEST OF BRITISH	8.570573-74
BRITTEN: Violin Concerto / Cello Symphony	8.553882
CLASSICS AT THE MOVIES: DIVAS	8.556806
Discover Music of the Twentieth Century	8.558168-69
DISCOVER THE CLASSICS, VOL. 3: The Concerto	8.554486-87
EASTER ALBUM (AN)	8.570175-76
FERRERO: Nueva Espana (La)	8.555044
GLASS, P.: Violin Concerto / Company / Prelude from Akhnaten	8.554568
GLASS, P.: Violin Concerto / Company / Prelude from Akhnaten	8.559056
HARTY: Comedy Overture (A) / Piano Concerto / Fantasy Scenes	8.557731
HONEGGER: Symphony No. 3, 'Liturgique' / Pacific 231 / Rugby	8.555974
KOEHNE: Inflight Entertainment / Powerhouse / Elevator Music	8.555847
LALO: Symphonie Espagnole / RAVEL / SAINT-SAENS / SARASATE	8.225967
LALO: Symphonie Espagnole / RAVEL / SAINT-SAENS / SARASATE	8.555093
LEVY: Cello Concerto / Symphony No. 3 / A Summer Overture	8.559234
MACDOWELL: Suites Nos. 1 and 2 / Hamlet and Ophelia	8.559075
MACMILLAN: Veni, Veni Emmanuel / Tryst	8.554167
MAYUZUMI: Bugaku / Mandala Symphony / Rumba Rhapsody	8.557693
MOROI: Symphony No. 3, Op. 25 / Sinfonietta, Op. 24 / Two Symphonic Movements, Op. 22	8.557162
Music and Video Club Vol. 2 (UK Only)	8.555082
MUSIC TO DIE FOR	8.557411
NYMAN: Piano Concerto / Where the Bee Dances	8.554168
OHKI: Japanese Rhapsody / Symphony No. 5, 'Hiroshima'	8.557839
PART: Arvo Part - A Portrait (KIMBERLEY)	8.558182-83
PART: Tabula Rasa / Symphony No. 3	8.554591
RAVEL (THE VERY BEST OF)	8.552125-26
RAWSTHORNE: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2	8.555959
REJOICE - A Vision of Christ Through Music	8.570980
RUBBRA: Violin Concerto, Op. 103 / Improvisations, Op. 89	8.557591
SCHOENBERG: Verklarte Nacht / Chamber Symphony No. 2	8.554371
STORY OF AMERICAN CLASSICAL MUSIC (THE)	8.558164-65
TAVENER: John Tavener - A Portrait (MCCLEERY)	8.558152-53
TAVENER: Protecting Veil / In Alium	8.554388
VIEUXTEMPS: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 4	8.554506
VIEUXTEMPS: Violin Concertos Nos. 5, 6 and 7	8.557016
WEBERN: Passacaglia / Symphony / Five Pieces	8.554841
YAMADA, K.: Nagauta Symphony / Meiji Symphony / Maria Magdalena	8.557971
YAMADA: Symphony in F Major, 'Triumph and Peace'	8.555350
YAMADA: Symphony in F Major, 'Triumph and Peace'	8.555350J
YASHIRO: Piano Concerto / Symphony	8.555351