Music Legend Dies Just Weeks After Life-Changing Fall: Kazuyoshi Akiyama Was 84

Renowned Japanese orchestra director Kazuyoshi Akiyama has died. Akiyama passed away of pneumonia at a hospital in Tokyo on the morning of Sunday, Jan. 26, just days after announcing his retirement due to injuries sustained from a fall at home. He was 84.

Born in Tokyo in 1941, Akiyama was considered one of Japan’s leading conductors and one of the world’s best traveled whose career spanned decades. He studied under the late Hideo Saito, per NHK, ad just a year after graduating from Toho Gakuen School of Music in 1963, he made his debut conducting the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. After being nominated for the dual posts of Music Director and Permanent Conductor just two months later, according to his biography, he went on to serve as the orchestra’s music director and principal conductor for 40 years. In 1991 lead the orchestra on a successful world tour to celebrate its 45th anniversary, which included performances in New York at the United Nations.

Akiyama was also well-known outside of Japan and brought his talents to the global stage. He served as the Assistant Conductor of the Toronto Symphony from 1968 until 1969, Music Director of the American Symphony Orchestra from 1973 until 1978, and Music Director of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra from 1972 until 1985, the same year he was granted the title of Conductor Laureate of the Vancouver Symphony upon leaving his post there. He was also the Music Director to the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra from 1985 to 1993.

Throughout his decades-spanning career, Akiyama conducted orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic, Cologne Broadcast Symphony, the Bayerischer Rundfunk, the San Francisco Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, the Cleveland, and the Philadelphia Orchestras. In 1975, he received the Suntory Music Award, and was also awarded the Kyoto Music Award of 1993, the 1995 Mainichi Arts Award, and the Arts Encouragement Prize of the Minister of Education in 1995. In 2001, he was awarded Japan´s Medal with Purple Ribbon.

Akiyama had been scheduled to appear at the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra’s New Year’s Concert in early January, but was forced to cancel his appearance after he fell at his home on Jan. 1. The famed director suffered injuries to his neck and a damaged nerve, as well as residual injuries to his limbs, and was hospitalized on Jan. 2. After discussions with his family, he announced on Jan. 23 that he was retiring from directing.

Paying tribute to Akiyama, Tetsuya Okazaki, Chairman of the Board, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, said he was “at a loss for words at this sudden farewell. As someone who has admired him on stage for half a century, I am simply stunned by the sadness that I will no longer be able to hear Mr. Akiyama’s warm music. I have nothing but gratitude. I offer my deepest condolences.”