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The Illinois Symphony Orchestra (ISO) is thrilled to announce that our innovative Music Director Taichi Fukumura has been selected to assume the position of Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra in Fall 2025. This prestigious appointment signals Music Director Taichi Fukumura’s exceptional talent, dedication, and visionary leadership in the world of classical music.
Taichi Fukumura will continue to serve as Music Director of the ISO and remains deeply committed to the vision and mission of our organization. He will continue leading the ISO with the same passion and dedication that has inspired both musicians and audiences alike.
“I am tremendously honored to join The Cleveland Orchestra as Assistant Conductor and to work alongside Franz Welser-Möst and one of the world’s most renowned ensembles. This opportunity marks a significant milestone in my artistic journey, and I’m profoundly grateful to the Illinois Symphony for their continued support and partnership. I remain fully committed to our shared vision here in central Illinois and look forward to bringing all that I learn in Cleveland back to our vibrant musical community as we look ahead to an exciting new season,” said Music Director Taichi Fukumura.
ISO’s Board President Dr. Daniel Brownstone said, “It’s a tremendous honor to know ISO’s Music Director Taichi Fukumura has been named Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra. This is a unique opportunity for Taichi Fukumura and one that will advantageously support the vision of our orchestra.”
You can experience Taichi Fukumura leading the Illinois Symphony Orchestra this Friday evening, May 2 at the UIS Performing Arts Center in Springfield and on May 3 at the ISU Center for the Performing Arts in Normal. The program includes Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony, Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G with pianist Anne Geniushene, a Van Cliburn medalist, and Nabors Pulse. Please go to ilsymphony.org/passion for more information.
About Taichi Fukumura
Taichi Fukumura is the Music Director of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and the newly appointed Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra. A rising Japanese-American conductor acclaimed for his dynamic stage presence and musical finesse, Fukumura is the Second Prize Winner of The Mahler Competition 2023 and a four-time recipient of the Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award 2021-2024.
Recent and upcoming highlights include guest conducting debuts with the Bamberg Symphony, Utah Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, Eugene Symphony, Delaware Symphony, and Colorado Springs Philharmonic. He also returned to the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra as guest conductor after leading the orchestra in over 110 concerts as Assistant Conductor under Music Director Robert Spano.
Other notable appearances include guest conducting members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in their Community Chamber Concert series, leading Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat. Fukumura was invited by the Berlin Philharmonic as one of 10 assistant conductor candidates for Kirill Petrenko and the Siemens Conductors Scholarship in 2021. He also served as Assistant Conductor of the Chicago Sinfonietta where he previously received mentorship from Music Director Mei-Ann Chen as a Freeman Conducting Fellow.
Engagements as cover conductor include the Minnesota Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Houston Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic, a return to the Aspen Music Festival as guest assistant conductor and assisting Barbara Hannigan at the Munich Philharmonic and the Musikkollegium Winterthur, Switzerland.
Born in Tokyo, Taichi Fukumura grew up in Boston and began music studies at age three on the violin. He holds a Bachelor of Music in violin performance from Boston University, where he studied with Peter Zazofsky, and both Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in orchestral conducting from Northwestern University under the mentorship of Victor Yampolsky. Additional conducting training includes the Aspen Music Festival and Pierre Monteux School and Festival.
