2010
UNLV Bands Concert III
Feb 25
Takayoshi Suzuki enrolled at the Tokyo Conservatoire Shobi as a music education major in 1970 While completing his education degree, he began attending the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts. During his university days, he was active as a trombonist with several recording studios, the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra and the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. He returned to his alma mater, Fukuoka Technical University High School, in 1974 to become the Music Teacher and Band Director. In addition to his high school teaching assignments, he was the conductor of the Fukuoka University Wind Ensemble. During the 15 years he was band director, the Fukuoka Technical University High School Wind Orchestra traveled to Tokyo for the All Japan Band Contest for 13 consecutive years. In that time, the band won the Gold Prize five times, Silver four times and the prestigious Grand Prix (Sweepstakes) Award four times. In 1987, the Fukuoka Technical University High School Wind Orchestra became the first Japanese high school band to perform at the annual Mid-West Band and Orchestra clinic in Chicago. The group was so well received a fifteen-minute standing ovation followed. In 1991, Mr. Suzuki was invited by the president of the Tokyo Conservatoire Shobi to return to his alma mater and become a faculty member.
Mr. Suzuki has been an Instructor of Conducting at UNLV since 1995. His duties include teaching private conducting lessons, conducting seminar courses and a variety of education classes. In addition to his duties at the university, Professor Suzuki is a highly sought after clinician and guest conductor throughout Japan and the United States. He is the music director of the United Brass in New York City. Mr. Suzuki is also the music director of the TAD Wind Symphony, a professional group consisting of former students and professional musicians from numerous orchestras in Japan. Mr. Suzuki has conducted and recorded five compact recordings with his groups. These recordings are: Tad Steps, 2002, Basic Video Arts Co., Ltd., Japan, The United Brass, 2000, Basic Video Arts, Co., Ltd., Japan, Tad Wind Symphony: Concert Vol. 6, 1999, Soundseek Laboratories Ltd., Legendary IV: Most Memorable Performances of H.S. Bands, 1999, Brain Company, Ltd., Enigma Variations, 1998, Brain Company, Ltd. His conducting teachers include: Seiji Ozawa, Leonard Bernstein, Yasuhiko Shiozawa and Kenichirou Kobayashi. Mr. Suzuki is a member of the All Japan Band Director's Association, the Bandmasters Academic Society of Japan, the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles and recently became the only native Japanese Director to be voted into the American Bandmaster's Association.