The great classical music conductors Asia

Zhang or Barenboim? Ozawa or Isakadze? It is difficult for inquiring minds to tackle such abundant fields as classical music and opera, covering 10 centuries of history: there are really many conductors. Making a selection of musicians, such as a “top 10” for example, is a difficult and subjective exercise. A musical selection is often the expression of personal preferences or artistic opinions, very interesting but also very different according to critics or musicologists, or simply influenced by the context: will an English conductor not be instinctively privileged by an English critic?

For example: in Mexico, Alondra de la Parra, Mexican conductor, occupies a special place in front of the Belgian conductor Philippe Herreweghe, who is more distant but nevertheless more internationally renowned.

Timeline of conductors in Asia

Whoever wants to discover classical music or opera does not always have an experienced music lover, an expert or an educator at his or her side to support and guide him or her in these fields. So : Zhang (American conductor) or Barenboim (Israeli Argentine-born pianist and conductor) ? Shani (Israeli conductor and pianist) or Akiyama (Japanese conductor) ? However, the knowledge available about musicians is enormous. It was processed to select the 10, 25, 50... most popular conductors around the world, for those living or having lived en Asia, . And this objectively, and for the first time (soClassiQ exclusivity).

Conductors rendered as a timeline to bring a little perspective:

18701870 18801880 18901890 19001900 19101910 19201920 19301930 19401940 19501950 19601960 19701970 19801980 19901990 20002000 20102010 20202020

Timeline :

ComposersConductors TReduce to conductors onlyLyrical singers Performers Worldwide Europe North America South America Asia Oceania Africa 2021

This timeline is interactive to navigate through the ages or across continents (with ).

Why are all these composers included in this timeline?

Many composers have also been concert performers or conductors, although their fame is associated with their work today. On the other hand, some conductors such as Arturo Toscanini, Georg Solti ... or musicians such as Martha Argerich, Vladimir Horowitz, Glenn Gould ... have also composed. Itzhak Perlman, David Oïstrakh... very well known as concert performers, have also conducted orchestras. Others, such as Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, William Christie ..., are renowned as much for their careers as composers, conductors and performers.

Top 10 conductors in Asia

Who are these greatest conductors, the most famous over the 1880-2020 era in Asia? The carreer of these musician has marked the history of classical music. There are those you probably know, or at least by name and the others.

Here are these 10 conductors, renowned artists from around the world:

The musicians and artists who also composed were removed from this ranking.

The selections of musicians (conductors) proposed by soClassiQ are based exclusively on algorithms. The same applies to the composers, their works, the performers, the lyrical singers, les orchestras, and the venues : opera houses, concert halls or festivals.

What about the others? 25, 50 or more?

Summarizing to 10 musician names such a wide and diverse field may seem extreme or too simplistic for those who know classical music and lyrical art well, for those who can easily name 50 or more conductors. Ahronovitch, Vengerov, Mintz, Asahina, Inbal, Navasardyan, Mehta...

At this time, soClassiQ has listed more than 4500 conductors. So here is a selection of some conductors for the years 1880-2020, in Asia, widely recognized around the world:

Note:

This selection may include highly reputed artists and musicians who have occasionally devoted themselves to classical music and not exclusively.
It may also include conductors who have been or are composers, some more renowned for the work they have left than for their careers as musicians.

A
 Kanako AbeThe great classical music conductors  
age 47 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Kōmei AbeThe great classical music conductors  
1911-2006 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Rosalina AbejoThe great classical music conductors  
1922-1991 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Yalchin AdigezalovThe great classical music conductors  
age 60 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Yuri AhronovitchThe great classical music conductors  
1932-2002 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Kazuyoshi AkiyamaThe great classical music conductors  
age 79 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Yasushi AkutagawaThe great classical music conductors  
1925-1989 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Suleĭman AleskerovThe great classical music conductors  
1924-2000 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
  Darrell AngThe great classical music conductors  
age 40 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Hiroshi AoshimaThe great classical music conductors  
age 65 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Shunji ArataniThe great classical music conductors  
1930-2020 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Masao ArayaThe great classical music conductors  
1914-1996 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Raffi ArmenianThe great classical music conductors  
age 78 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Chitaru AsahinaThe great classical music conductors  
age 77 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Takashi AsahinaThe great classical music conductors  
1908-2001 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Mukhtar AshrafiThe great classical music conductors  
1912-1975 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Moshe AtzmonThe great classical music conductors  
age 89 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 

B
 Afrasiyab BadalbeyliThe great classical music conductors  
1907-1976 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Ario BanThe great classical music conductors  
1933-1985 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Tetsurō BanThe great classical music conductors  
age 52 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
  Daniel BarenboimThe great classical music conductors  
age 77 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Nisar BazmiThe great classical music conductors  
1925-2007 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
  Paul Ben-HaimThe great classical music conductors  
1897-1984 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Gary BertiniThe great classical music conductors  
1927-2005 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Marat BisengalievThe great classical music conductors  
age 58 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Alan BuribayevThe great classical music conductors  
age 41 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Kim Byong-hwaThe great classical music conductors  
age 84 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 

Elim ChanThe great classical music conductors
age 33 (20th century)
Conductor

Han-na ChangThe great classical music conductors
age 37 (20th century)
Conductor

Gabriel ChmuraThe great classical music conductors
age 74 (20th century)
Conductor

Tigran ChukhajianThe great classical music conductors
1837-1898 (Romantic)
Composer, Performer & Conductor

Myung-whun ChungThe great classical music conductors
age 67 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Daniel CohenThe great classical music conductors
age 36 (20th century)
Conductor

Sergiu ComissionaThe great classical music conductors
1928-2005 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Ikuma DanThe great classical music conductors
1924-2001 (20th century)
Composer & Conductor

Tan DunThe great classical music conductors
age 63 (20th century)
Composer, Performer & Conductor

Ahn Eak-taiThe great classical music conductors
1906-1965 (20th century)
Composer & Conductor

Masahisa EndōThe great classical music conductors
1933-1999 (20th century)
Conductor

Angelo EphrikianThe great classical music conductors
1913-1982 (20th century)
Composer, Performer & Conductor

Dan EttingerThe great classical music conductors
age 49 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Asher FischThe great classical music conductors
age 62 (20th century)
Conductor

Kazuo FukudaThe great classical music conductors
age 89 (20th century)
Conductor

Andrei GavrilovThe great classical music conductors
age 65 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Jemal GokieliThe great classical music conductors
1920-1991 (20th century)
Conductor

David GreilsammerThe great classical music conductors
age 43 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

H
 Dudar HahanovThe great classical music conductors  
1921-1995 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Soltan HajibeyovThe great classical music conductors  
1919-1974 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
  Uzeyir HajibeyovThe great classical music conductors  
1885-1948 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Keitaro HaradaThe great classical music conductors  
age 35 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Joji HattoriThe great classical music conductors  
age 51 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Hikaru HayashiThe great classical music conductors  
1931-2012 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Myrna HerzogThe great classical music conductors  
age 68 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Junichi HirokamiThe great classical music conductors  
age 62 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Hayato HiroseThe great classical music conductors  
age 46 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
  Joe HisaishiThe great classical music conductors  
age 69 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Lyrical singer, Performer & Conductor 
 Kim Hong-jaeThe great classical music conductors  
age 65 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Yutaka HoshideThe great classical music conductors  
age 79 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Hiroshi HoshinaThe great classical music conductors  
age 84 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Li HuanzhiThe great classical music conductors  
1919-2000 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 

I
  Akira IfukubeThe great classical music conductors  
1914-2006 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Norichika IimoriThe great classical music conductors  
age 57 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Akira IkedaThe great classical music conductors  
1933-2009 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Eliahu InbalThe great classical music conductors  
age 84 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Michiyoshi InoueThe great classical music conductors  
age 73 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Liana IsakadzeThe great classical music conductors  
age 74 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Maki IshiiThe great classical music conductors  
1936-2003 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Yasuhide ItoThe great classical music conductors  
age 59 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Eiichi ItōThe great classical music conductors  
1925-2020 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 

Jahangir JahangirovThe great classical music conductors
1921-1992 (20th century)
Composer & Conductor

K
 Vakhtang KakhidzeThe great classical music conductors  
age 61 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Yūki KakiuchiThe great classical music conductors  
age 42 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Toshiyuki KamiokaThe great classical music conductors  
age 60 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Shigeru Kan-noThe great classical music conductors  
age 61 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Masaru KawasakiThe great classical music conductors  
1924-2018 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Hooman KhalatbariThe great classical music conductors  
age 51 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Seikyo KimThe great classical music conductors  
age 50 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Shōkoku KinThe great classical music conductors  
age 78 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Kōichi KishiThe great classical music conductors  
1909-1937 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
  Otto KlempererThe great classical music conductors  
1885-1973 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Hiroshi KodamaThe great classical music conductors  
age 68 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Kazuhiro KoizumiThe great classical music conductors  
age 70 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Hideo KojimaThe great classical music conductors  
age 79 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Kazuhiko KomatsuThe great classical music conductors  
1947-2013 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Jo KondoThe great classical music conductors  
age 72 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Hidemaro KonoyeThe great classical music conductors  
1898-1973 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Kazunobu KurokawaThe great classical music conductors  
age 41 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Tetsunosuke KushidaThe great classical music conductors  
age 85 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 

Marc LavryThe great classical music conductors
1903-1967 (20th century)
Composer & Conductor

Yoel LeviThe great classical music conductors
age 70 (20th century)
Conductor

Yu LongThe great classical music conductors
age 56 (20th century)
Conductor

M
 Aleksandre MachavarianiThe great classical music conductors  
1913-1995 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
  Muslim MagomayevThe great classical music conductors  
1885-1937 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
  Muslim MagomayevThe great classical music conductors  
1942-2008 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Lyrical singer & Conductor 
 Michio MamiyaThe great classical music conductors  
age 91 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Fuat MansurovThe great classical music conductors  
1928-2010 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Isao MatsushitaThe great classical music conductors  
1951-2018 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Toshiro MayuzumiThe great classical music conductors  
1929-1997 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
  Zubin MehtaThe great classical music conductors  
age 84 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Alexander Melik-PashayevThe great classical music conductors  
1905-1964 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Shlomo MintzThe great classical music conductors  
age 62 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 

... M

Seiichi MitsuishiThe great classical music conductors
age 88 (20th century)
Conductor

Fumiaki MiyamotoThe great classical music conductors
age 70 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Shūkō MizunoThe great classical music conductors
age 86 (20th century)
Composer & Conductor

Karl MuckThe great classical music conductors
1859-1940 (Romantic)
Conductor

Svetlana NavasardyanThe great classical music conductors
age 73 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Daniel NazarethThe great classical music conductors
1948-2014 (20th century)
Composer & Conductor

Takenori NemotoThe great classical music conductors
age 51 (20th century)
Composer, Performer & Conductor

Joy NiloThe great classical music conductors
age 50 (20th century)
Composer & Conductor

Tomomi NishimotoThe great classical music conductors
age 50 (20th century)
Conductor

Knyaz NiyaziThe great classical music conductors
1912-1984 (20th century)
Composer, Performer & Conductor

Neil NongkynrihThe great classical music conductors
age 50 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Heiichiro OhyamaThe great classical music conductors
age 73 (20th century)
Conductor

Takeshi ŌiThe great classical music conductors
age 46 (20th century)
Conductor

Yōichirō ŌmachiThe great classical music conductors
age 89 (20th century)
Conductor

Yoshiaki OnishiThe great classical music conductors
age 39 (20th century)
Composer & Conductor

Kazushi ŌnoThe great classical music conductors
age 60 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Hisatada OtakaThe great classical music conductors
1911-1951 (20th century)
Composer & Conductor

Tadaaki OtakaThe great classical music conductors
age 73 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Eiji OueThe great classical music conductors
age 62 (20th century)
Conductor

Tomohiro OuraThe great classical music conductors
age 43 (20th century)
Conductor

Seiji OzawaThe great classical music conductors
age 85 (20th century)
Conductor

Itzhak PerlmanThe great classical music conductors
age 75 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Ali RahbariThe great classical music conductors
age 72 (20th century)
Composer, Performer & Conductor

Mordechai RechtmanThe great classical music conductors
age 94 (20th century)
Conductor

Mendi RodanThe great classical music conductors
1929-2009 (20th century)
Conductor

S
 Yutaka SadoThe great classical music conductors  
age 59 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Hideo SaitoThe great classical music conductors  
1902-1974 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
  Ryuichi SakamotoThe great classical music conductors  
age 68 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Heshmat SanjariThe great classical music conductors  
1917-1995 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Konstantin SaradzhevThe great classical music conductors  
1877-1954 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Kentaro SatoThe great classical music conductors  
age 39 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Kōtarō SatōThe great classical music conductors  
1944-2006 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Kikuo SatōThe great classical music conductors  
age 91 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Uri SegalThe great classical music conductors  
age 76 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 David ShallonThe great classical music conductors  
1950-2000 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Mohammad ShamsThe great classical music conductors  
age 65 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
  Lahav ShaniThe great classical music conductors  
age 31 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Harish ShankarThe great classical music conductors  
age 36 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 En ShaoThe great classical music conductors  
age 65 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Bright ShengThe great classical music conductors  
age 64 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Noam SheriffThe great classical music conductors  
1935-2018 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Keisuke ShinoharaThe great classical music conductors  
1959-2011 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Makoto ShinoharaThe great classical music conductors  
age 88 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
  Lan ShuiThe great classical music conductors  
age 63 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Satō ShuntarōThe great classical music conductors  
age 48 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Sergey SmbatyanThe great classical music conductors  
age 33 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Daisuke SogaThe great classical music conductors  
age 54 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 S. P. SomtowThe great classical music conductors  
age 67 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Pinchas SteinbergThe great classical music conductors  
age 74 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Makoto SuehiroThe great classical music conductors  
age 61 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Meirō SugaharaThe great classical music conductors  
1897-1988 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Shi-Yeon SungThe great classical music conductors  
age 45 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Masato SuzukiThe great classical music conductors  
age 39 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Hidemi SuzukiThe great classical music conductors  
age 63 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
  Masaaki SuzukiThe great classical music conductors  
age 66 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 

T
 Ali TajvidiThe great classical music conductors  
1919-2006 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Josef TalThe great classical music conductors  
1910-2008 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Itay TalgamThe great classical music conductors  
age 62 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Conductor 
 Yoav TalmiThe great classical music conductors  
age 77 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Nobuaki TanakaThe great classical music conductors  
age 92 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Kelly TangThe great classical music conductors  
age 59 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Muhai TangThe great classical music conductors  
age 71 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Anushavan Ter-GhevondyanThe great classical music conductors  
1887-1961 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Yukinori TezukaThe great classical music conductors  
age 80 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Nurghisa TilendievThe great classical music conductors  
1925-1998 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
  Loris TjeknavorianThe great classical music conductors  
age 82 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Naohiro TotsukaThe great classical music conductors  
age 60 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Yuzo ToyamaThe great classical music conductors  
age 89 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Shinji TōyamaThe great classical music conductors  
1923-1986 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Yaron TraubThe great classical music conductors  
age 56 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Kunio TsuchiyaThe great classical music conductors  
age 87 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Shunsaku TsutsumiThe great classical music conductors  
1946-2013 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 

Masashi UedaThe great classical music conductors
1904-1966 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Masato UsukiThe great classical music conductors
1934-2011 (20th century)
Composer, Performer & Conductor

Monir VakiliThe great classical music conductors
1923-1983 (20th century)
Lyrical singer, Performer & Conductor

Arie VardiThe great classical music conductors
age 83 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Maxim VengerovThe great classical music conductors
age 46 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Ilan VolkovThe great classical music conductors
age 44 (20th century)
Conductor

Kaoru WadaThe great classical music conductors
age 58 (20th century)
Composer, Performer & Conductor

Hiroshi WakasugiThe great classical music conductors
1935-2009 (20th century)
Conductor

Yoshio WatanabeThe great classical music conductors
age 70 (20th century)
Conductor

Akeo WatanabeThe great classical music conductors
1919-1990 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Huang XiaofeiThe great classical music conductors
age 92 (20th century)
Composer & Conductor

Qu Xiao-SongThe great classical music conductors
age 68 (20th century)
Composer & Conductor

Zhong XuThe great classical music conductors
age 51 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Y
  Kazuki YamadaThe great classical music conductors  
age 41 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Kazuo YamadaThe great classical music conductors  
1912-1991 (20th century)
                        
Composer, Performer & Conductor 
 Kosaku YamadaThe great classical music conductors  
1886-1965 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Minoru YamamotoThe great classical music conductors  
1913-1996 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Naozumi YamamotoThe great classical music conductors  
1932-2002 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Shigenobu YamaokaThe great classical music conductors  
age 89 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Kazufumi YamashitaThe great classical music conductors  
age 59 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Akio YashiroThe great classical music conductors  
1929-1976 (20th century)
                        
Composer & Conductor 
 Hikotarō YazakiThe great classical music conductors  
age 73 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Hirofumi YoshidaThe great classical music conductors  
age 51 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 
 Takuo YuasaThe great classical music conductors  
age 71 (20th century)
                        
Conductor 

Tan Yan ZhangThe great classical music conductors
age 22 (20th century)
Composer, Performer & Conductor

Xian ZhangThe great classical music conductors
age 47 (20th century)
Conductor

Ariel ZuckermannThe great classical music conductors
age 47 (20th century)
Conductor

Pinchas ZukermanThe great classical music conductors
age 72 (20th century)
Performer & Conductor

Some conductors to be celebrated very soon

Next month, more than 40 important artists and musicians will be honoured. In November 2020 some of them may celebrate a special anniversary. For others, amateurs and enthusiasts will celebrate the bicentenary of their birth or the fiftieth anniversary of their death for example. Among them, some famous conductors:

on 2, Dimitri Mitropoulos (1896-1960), 60th anniversary (Death),
on 7, Ferenc Erkel (1810-1893), 210th anniversary (Birth),
on 12, Oscar Strasnoy (1970- ), 50th anniversary,
on 14, Aaron Copland (1900-1990), 120th anniversary (Birth),
on 22, Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900), 120th anniversary (Death),
...

There are others to discover. And it is not too late to focus on the October 2020 celebrations (30+).

Always good opportunities to discover or deepen, (re)listen, explore the vastness and diversity of classical music...

The great classical music conductors Asia

Timeline of conductors in Asia

Top 10 conductors in Asia

What about the others? 25, 50 or more?

Some conductors to be celebrated very soon

See also...

Timelines : Conductors

Indexes

Other timelines

Commemorations 2020, 2021, ...