From DiscoverNikkei.org
Kent Nagano
Conductor (b.1951)
Kent Nagano was born in Berkeley, California in 1951 and grew up on a farm in Morro Bay. He studied sociology and music at the University of California in Santa Cruz, and after earning his bachelor’s degree, he continued to study music at San Francisco State University where he earned his master’s degree in music. Since then, Nagano has established himself as a renowned music director and conductor.
According to the Kajimoto Concert Management website, "Kent Nagano is renowned for interpretations of clarity, elegance, and deep intelligence. He is equally at home in music of the classical, romantic, and contemporary eras, introducing concert and opera audiences throughout the world to new and rediscovered music and offering fresh insights into established repertoire."
Nagano’s first conducting job was with the Opera Company of Boston as an assistant conductor to Sarah Caldwell. Since 1978, he has served as music director of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Nagano has earned a number of European appointments: music director of the Opera National de Lyon, the music director of Hale Orchestra, and associate principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. In 2000, he became the artistic director and chief conductor of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, and in 2003, the first music director of Los Angeles Opera. Nagano’s recordings of Busoni’s Doktor Faust with Opera National de Lyon and Peter and the Wolf with the Russian National Orchestra have earned him Grammy awards.
Sources:
Links
- F. Paul Driscoll, "The Return of the Native." Opera News September 2002.
- Video: KCET's "Spark" program profiles Nagano's collaboration with the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra and composer Naomi Sekiya to premiere her double guitar concerto.
- Essay: 時代を駆け上がるケント・ナガノ (日本語)
- Manzanar: An American Story (2005)
- "End of an Era for Nagano, Berkeley Symphony". Hokubei News, January 23, 2007.
- Nagano resigned his position as music director with the Berkeley Symphony at the end of its 2008-09 season, but will continue his association with the Symphony in new roles.