"Udagawa took the orchestra on an astonishing and fearless musical flight..." wrote one reviewer about the dynamic young conductor, Yoichi Udagawa. The Boston Globe said, "It is comparatively rare to hear a performance that...neither glosses over nor dotes on the little things such as rendered...by conductor Yoichi Udagawa." His performances have been hailed by critics and audiences alike as "powerful and emotionally evocative."

Music Director and Conductor of the Melrose Symphony Orchestra, the Cape Ann Symphony Orchestra, and the Quincy Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Udagawa is also on the faculty of the Boston Conservatory where he teaches conducting.  In addition, he is a cover conductor at the Boston Pops Orchestra.  He conducted the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra for the first time in December of 2003.

Frequently invited to guest conduct, Mr. Udagawa has worked with many different orchestras including the Nobeoka Philharmonic Orchestra, the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston, the Indian Hill Symphony, the Garden State Philharmonic, the Brown University Orchestra, the Syracuse Society for New Music, the Boston Conservatory Orchestra, the Newton Symphony, the Austin Civic Orchestra, and the Mid-Texas Symphony.

Mr. Udagawa is at home in popular and contemporary music as well as the standard symphonic repertoire. His programs for the 2004-2005 season include Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 and No. 8, Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1, Bernstein's Symphonic Dances, Dvorak's New World Symphony, Brahms' Symphony No. 1 and several world premieres, as well as special holiday and pops programs.  Guest conducting appearances during the year include a performance with the New York Westchester All State Orchestra.

Yoichi Udagawa, the son of a nuclear physicist father and artist/singer mother, was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. His family immigrated to the United States soon thereafter. He began playing the violin at age four and made his conducting debut at the age of fifteen. After receiving a music degree from the University of Texas at Austin, he continued advanced studies in conducting with Seiji Ozawa, Gunther Schuller, Morihiro Okabe, and Henry Charles Smith.

A fan of many different styles of music, Mr. Udagawa also enjoys performing gospel music in addition to his conducting activities. He is also an accomplished violinist and a devoted student of history, philosophy, and art.

Visit Mr. Udagawa's website: www.yoichiudagawa.com.