Taichi Fukumura
(c) Ang Gao
Illinois Symphony Orchestra Music Director Taichi Fukumura has been appointed as Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra in the fall 2025.
Born in Tokyo, Fukumura, 32, 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.
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.
