Kazushi Ono (?? ??, ?no Kazushi, born March 4, 1960) is a Japanese conductor, born in Tokyo.Ono studied at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, and with Wolfgang Sawallisch and Giuseppe Patanè at the Bavarian State Opera (Bayerische Staatsoper), as a scholar of the Japanese Ministry of Culture. In 1987 he won First Prize in the 3rd Toscanini International Conductors' Competition.Ono was principal conductor of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra from 1992 to 1999, and its artistic advisor from 1999 to 2001. He currently holds the title of Conductor Laureate with the orchestra. In May 2013, the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Ono as its next music director, as of April 2015, with an initial contract of 5 years.In Europe, Ono was Chief Conductor of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra from 1990 to 1996. He was General Music Director of the Baden State Opera, Karlsruhe from 1996 to 2002. In August 2002, he became music director of La Monnaie (Brussels), after his acclaimed debut there in March 2001, conducting Salvatore Sciarrino's chamber opera Luci mie traditrici. Other contemporary operas that Ono conducted at La Monnaie include Philippe Boesmans' Julie. He stepped down as music director at La Monnaie at the end of the 2007-2008 season and became principal conductor of the Opéra National de Lyon at the start of the 2008-2009 season, with an initial contract of 5 years. In February 2009 he made his debut at the Teatro Comunale Florence by conducting the premiere of the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 by Lorenzo Ferrero. In January 2014, the Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra announced the appointment of Ono as its next music director, effective September 2015, with an initial contract of 3 years.Ono is the recipient of the 2009 Suntory Music Award.
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