Yoko Matsuo

Yoko Matsuo is the first female conductor to have won first prize in the Concours International de Jeunes Chefs d'Orchestre in Besançon, France (1982). This was only the second time after Seiji Ozawa won the award in 1959 that this coveted honor was given to a Japanese musician. Yoko Matsuo was appointed the Principal Conductor of the Central Aichi Symphony Orchestra and conducted the Orchestra's acclaimed debut in 1999. She has worked regularly with them for opera and concert projects; in 2000 included DON GIOVANNI in production of Japanese “Noh”.

Yoko Matsuo's activities have, since then, been both extensive and diverse, leading to her current status as a well-established conductor of solid ability and popularity. Engagements have included concerts with the well reputed Ladies Orchestra Japan, operetta singer Miss Melanie Holiday, and various operettas in addition to appearances with most of Japan's major orchestras, such as Japan Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, Shin-sei Nihon Symphony Orchestra. Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, Gunma Symphony Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and the Osaka Philharmonic, among others.

Originally started with the piano at the age of three, Maestro Matsuo eventually entered Ochanomizu University majoring in music education. In her third year, Yoko Matsuo developed eager interest in conducting after taking the podium at a school festival. To the amazement of her peers, Yoko Matsuo soon after gained entrance to Japan’s most prestigious school for musicians, the National University of Fine Arts and Music in Tokyo. There, she studied conducting under Kenichiro Kobayashi and Akeo Watanabe, graduating with both bachelor and master level degrees in music. Yoko Matsuo pursued further study under Mr. Pierre Devaux at the Ecole Normale de Paris in 1981. The following year, she became a great topic of conversation when she walked away with the first prize in the Besançon Competition.

Yoko Matsuo has worked to enlarge the breadth of her work, conducting the Niki -kai productions of "The Merry Widow" in 1985, "Die Fledermaus" in 1987, "Carmen" in April, 1988 and then NHK's "La Traviata" in December of that year with the NHK Symphony Orchestra. She again led Niki-kai productions of "The Merry Widow" in September, 1991, and "Die Fledermaus" in September of 1992. In May 1993, she was well received in the production of Mozart 's, "The Magic Flute" at Osaka's College Operahouse.

Internationally, Yoko Matsuo has, among others, conducted Toulouse Chamber Orchestra and Lamoureux Orchestra at the Champs-Elysees Theatre. She also toured with New Japan Symphony Orchestra Japan on a European tour including performances in Berlin and Vienna in April, 1993.

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