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At present, he is also the Principal Conductor and Artistic Director
of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo. In fact, Yamada
intends to strengthen connections between the two orchestras by

taking the CBSO Chorus to Monaco for a joint performance of Carl

Orff's Carmina Burana in 2023.

For a time, Yamada studied under Seiji Ozawa and credits Ozawa
with what he describes as his "Japanese feeling" for music. He

hopes to introduce more Japanese repertoire into the CBSO's

programs, including works by Toru Takemitsu, Akira Miyoshi,
and Toshiro Mayuzumi. Yamada will also take the orchestra on a
tour of Japan in 2023.

Yamada began his musical life as a percussionist but added
conducting to the mix at the age of 17. His first international

success came when he won the Besançon Competition at the age
of 30.

Now aged 42, he worried that he might now be too old for the
Birmingham position. However, the CBSO's Chief

Executive, Stephen Maddock, felt differently.

"We thought: this is silly to extend our search when we’ve got

somebody standing here right in front of us who has all that we
need,” Maddock said of Yamada.

“From his very first concerts with us, there was an immediate
rapport between Kazuki and our musicians, and enormous respect

for his musicianship and craft," said Maddock. "Over time that has
only deepened, and I know that those who have already seen

Kazuki conduct the orchestra will be as thrilled as we are by this
news."

“His energy, dynamism and precision make for electrifying concerts
and I have no doubt that audiences in Birmingham and beyond will

very quickly come to await his next performances as eagerly as our