Norichika IimoriNorichika Iimori

Norichika Iimori graduated from the conducting course of the Toho Gakuen School of Music. After studying in Berlin and Munich, beginning in 1994 he held successive posts including Resident Conductor of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Guest Conductor of the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio, and Resident Conductor of the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra. In 1996 he led the European tour of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and was lauded in a newspaper which said, “Iimori will surely go on to attract international attention.” In 2003, in his first appearance in a subscription concert of the NHK Symphony Orchestra, Iimori conducted a successful performance of Mahler’s 1st Symphony. In 2006 he was awarded the “Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists” from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Iimori has been invited to conduct many world-class orchestras including the Radio Symphony Orchestra Frankfurt, Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, and Prague Symphony Orchestra. In 2001 he became General Music Director of the Württemberg Philharmonic Orchestra, with which he recorded the complete Beethoven Symphonies and carried out a successful Japan tour in 2006.
In 2016 Iimori recorded “Mozart: The Complete Symphonies” with the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra, one of the few recordings of the composer’s complete symphonies in the world and the first in Japan. He is currently making a recording of “The Complete Haydn Symphonies” with the Japan Century Symphony Orchestra.
Iimori has also been acclaimed for his work in the field of opera. In October 2020 he conducted Britten’s opera “A Midsummer Nights Dream,” the season opening performance at Tokyo’s New National Theatre, receiving excellent reviews for this highly successful production. In 2024 he is conducting two operas: Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutte” at the New National Theatre, Tokyo, and the Fujiwara Opera production of Donizetti’s “Pia de’ Tolomei.”
Currently, Norichika Iimori is Music Director of the Pacific Philharmonia Tokyo, Principal Conductor of the Japan Century Symphony Orchestra, Chief Conductor of the Gunma Symphony Orchestra, Conductor Laureate of the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra, Permanent Conductor of the Izumi Sinfonietta Osaka, Principal Guest Conductor of the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Chubu Philharmonic Orchestra.

Official Website　http://iimori-norichika.com/

（April, 2024）