Suzuki, Takayoshi “Tad”
Takayoshi “Tad” Suzuki earned his degree in music education at the Tokyo Conservatoire Shobi with additional studies at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts. During this time, he was an active trombonist with several recording studios and performed with the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra and the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. After completing his degree, Suzuki returned to Fukuoka Technical University High School, his high school alma mater, becoming the Director of Bands. During his 15 year tenure as director, the Fukuoka Technical University High School Wind Orchestra traveled to the All-Japan Contest for 13 consecutive years, earning the Silver Prize four times, the Gold Prize five times, and the prestigious Grand Prix Sweepstakes Award four times. This wind orchestra became the first Japanese high school band to perform at The Mid-West Clinic: An International Band and Orchestra Conference, receiving a fifteen-minute standing ovation. At the request of the president of the Tokyo Conservatoire Shobi, he was hired as a faculty member in 1991. From 1995-2011, Suzuki was an Instructor of Conducting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he taught trombone, conducting lessons and seminars, orchestration, orchestra, brass band, wind orchestra, as well as music education courses.
Suzuki is a highly sought after clinician and guest conductor throughout the world. He serves as the music director of the United Brass in New York City and the TAD Wind Symphony, a professional ensemble consisting of former students and professional musicians from orchestras throughout Japan. Suzuki has conducted on numerous recordings: TAD Wind Symphony: Enigma Variations, 1998, Brain Co., Ltd., Japan; Legendary IV: Most Memorable Performances of H.S. Bands, 1999, Brain Company, Ltd., Japan; The United Brass, 2000, Basic Video Arts, Co., Ltd., Japan; TAD Steps, 2002, Basic Video Arts Co., Ltd., Japan; TAD Wind Symphony: Spiritual Planet, 2004, Basic Video Arts, Co., Ltd., Japan. He currently has twenty-one live recordings of the TAD Wind Symphony available through the Japanese recording label, Windstream.
Suzuki’s conducting teachers include Seiji Ozawa, Leonard Bernstein, Yasuhiko Shiozawa, and Ken-ichirou Kobayashi. He is a former member of the All Japan Band Director’s Association, the Bandmasters Academic Society of Japan, the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, and is also currently the only native of Japan to receive the honor of being member of the American Bandmaster’s Association.