CHIBA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, established in 1985, is the only permanent professional orchestra in Chiba Prefecture (a neighboring prefecture to the east of Tokyo, home to Narita Airport). Since 2016, Kazufumi YAMASHITA has served as its Music Director, and in the same year, the orchestra’s name was changed from “New Philharmonic Orchestra Chiba” to its current name. Since its establishment, the orchestra has aimed to develop music culture in Chiba Prefecture, and based on its activities rooted in the local community, it is striving to become an orchestra that the residents can be proud of.
The orchestra holds approximately 120 concerts a year, of which about 40 are Regular Concerts and Special Concerts held in various venues within the prefecture, as well as performances in collaboration with Chiba Prefecture that are part of the prefectureʼs “Arts Theater Project” series, conveying the charm of the orchestra music throughout the prefecture. Additionally, the orchestra conducts around 80 outreach concerts annually at elementary, junior-high, and high schools in collaboration with the education boards of Chiba Prefecture and various municipalities, as well as visiting concerts at kindergartens and special needs schools, and various chamber music performances, managing to convey the beauty of music to the next generation and to make a significant contribution to music education.
The historical conductors include Ario BAN (Founding Conductor/Music Director), Shigenobu YAMAOKA (Honorary Conductor, former Resident Conductor), and Takeshi OOI (former Resident Conductor), as well as other renowned guest conductors such as Yoichiro OMACHI, Taijiro IIMORI, and Norichika IIMORI.
Under the leadership of its music director, Kazufumi YAMASHITA, the orchestra has managed to further enhance its performance quality, and its fresh and vibrant performances have received high praise. This year, marking the 40th anniversary, the orchestra is steadily advancing towards being affectionately referred to as “the orchestra of our hometown” by more residents in Chiba Prefecture, with the goal of becoming a symphony orchestra that the community can take pride in.
(26 September 2025)
