Yutaka Kono
Music Program Head
Director of Orchestras
Associate Director for Outreach and Professor, Tuba and Music Technology
- D.M.A. (Performance - Tuba), University of Texas
- M.M. (Performance - Tuba), University of Minnesota
- B.Mus. (Performance - Tuba), Bowling Green State University
BIO
Dr. Kono is on sabbatical for Spring 2025.
Dr. Yutaka Kono is a versatile musician and highly sought-after conductor, currently serving as Director of Orchestra and Professor of Music at ̽̽. He is also the conductor of the Vermont Youth Philharmonia with the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association, and Music Director of the Orchestra of Central Tokyo. In addition to these roles, Dr. Kono is the Associate Director of the School of the Arts and Head of the Music Program at ̽̽.
Previously, Dr. Kono was the Artistic Director of the Burlington Chamber Orchestra, a professional orchestra in Vermont, and Assistant Conductor of the Kingsville Symphony Orchestra in Texas. His academic career includes teaching positions at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, The University of Texas at San Antonio, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, and The University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Kono has earned numerous accolades for his work in conducting, including a third-place win in the College/University Division of The American Prize for Orchestral Conducting (2014) and finalist recognition in the Professional and Youth Divisions. He has studied under renowned conductors such as Jerry Junkin, Mark Kelly, Eugene Dowdy, Peter Bay, and Silas Huff. He also attended the Summer Conductors Institute at the Eastman School of Music, studying with Maestro Neil Varon and conducting the Rochester Philharmonic. Additionally, Dr. Kono was selected by Maestra Diane Wittry of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra as a conducting fellow for the 2018-2019 season, assisting in the production of concerts in February 2019. His guest conducting appearances have included performances with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Champlain Philharmonic, Musashino Chamber Orchestra, Iroha Chamber Orchestra, as well as numerous high school and middle school festival orchestras.
As a composer and arranger, Dr. Kono’s work, “Mamma at the Gate” for Dancers and Electronics, was awarded the Bronze Medal at the Global Music Awards. His compositions and arrangements have been performed internationally and are published by Tuba-Euphonium Press, Cimarron Press, SMP Press, and Linus Publications. His studies in composition include work with Alex Lubet, Stephan Paulus, and Donald Grantham, while his orchestration mentors include Pulitzer Prize winner Dominic Argento, Judith Lang Zaimont, and Donald Wilson.
Dr. Kono is also an accomplished soloist, having won the University of Minnesota Concerto Competition and performed with numerous orchestras and bands across Vermont, Ohio, Minnesota, Texas, and Tokyo. He served as principal tubist for the Victoria Symphony Orchestra in Texas and has performed with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, Kingsville Symphony Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, and Austin Symphony Orchestra, among others. His musical versatility extends to non-classical genres such as Jazz, Dixieland, Rock, and Klezmer. He studied tuba under notable instructors including Ivan Hammond, Ross Tolbert, Steven Bryant, Robert Lindahl, Daniel Perantoni, Harvey Phillips, Donald Little, David Zerkel, David Saygers, Paul Hunt, and Eichi Inagawa, and currently performs with the local tuba-euphonium quartet, MetalWerx.
Internationally recognized as an educator and advocate for music education, Dr. Kono has taught hundreds of private students and led numerous clinics and masterclasses. His students have won awards in regional, national, and international competitions. Dr. Kono holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin, with additional degrees from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Bowling Green State University.
Dr. Kono in the news:
- 12/16/20: "As Of Then": A Massive, Experimental, Creative Collaboration
- 2/19/20: "Yutaka Kono to conduct Orchestra of Central Tokyo's inaugural concert"
- 9/18/19: "Yutaka Kono Places 3rd in American Prize for Conducting"
- 8/16/18: - Shelburne News
- 2/18/18: - Seven Days
- 10/27/17: - Times Argus
- 3/23/17: "Faculty Feature: Yutaka Kono" - University Communications
- 4/4/16: - University Communications
- 12/16/15: - Seven Days
- 1/28/15: - Seven Days
Publications
Dr. Kono's book and transcriptions are published from Tuba Euphonium Press, Cimarron Press, and Linus Publications
Courses
- MUL U - Applied Lessons, tuba
- MU 060 - Intro to Music Technology
- MU 062 - Technology for Music Education
- MU 123 - Orchestra
- MU 181 - Conducting
- MU 281 - Advanced Conducting
Awards and Achievements
He was placed as the third place winner for The American Prize for orchestral conducting at the college/university level, and earned Bronze Medal of the Global Music award for his composition "Mamma at the Gate."
Area(s) of expertise
Orchestra, music technology, conducting
Bio
Dr. Kono is on sabbatical for Spring 2025.
Dr. Yutaka Kono is a versatile musician and highly sought-after conductor, currently serving as Director of Orchestra and Professor of Music at ̽̽. He is also the conductor of the Vermont Youth Philharmonia with the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association, and Music Director of the Orchestra of Central Tokyo. In addition to these roles, Dr. Kono is the Associate Director of the School of the Arts and Head of the Music Program at ̽̽.
Previously, Dr. Kono was the Artistic Director of the Burlington Chamber Orchestra, a professional orchestra in Vermont, and Assistant Conductor of the Kingsville Symphony Orchestra in Texas. His academic career includes teaching positions at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, The University of Texas at San Antonio, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, and The University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Kono has earned numerous accolades for his work in conducting, including a third-place win in the College/University Division of The American Prize for Orchestral Conducting (2014) and finalist recognition in the Professional and Youth Divisions. He has studied under renowned conductors such as Jerry Junkin, Mark Kelly, Eugene Dowdy, Peter Bay, and Silas Huff. He also attended the Summer Conductors Institute at the Eastman School of Music, studying with Maestro Neil Varon and conducting the Rochester Philharmonic. Additionally, Dr. Kono was selected by Maestra Diane Wittry of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra as a conducting fellow for the 2018-2019 season, assisting in the production of concerts in February 2019. His guest conducting appearances have included performances with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Champlain Philharmonic, Musashino Chamber Orchestra, Iroha Chamber Orchestra, as well as numerous high school and middle school festival orchestras.
As a composer and arranger, Dr. Kono’s work, “Mamma at the Gate” for Dancers and Electronics, was awarded the Bronze Medal at the Global Music Awards. His compositions and arrangements have been performed internationally and are published by Tuba-Euphonium Press, Cimarron Press, SMP Press, and Linus Publications. His studies in composition include work with Alex Lubet, Stephan Paulus, and Donald Grantham, while his orchestration mentors include Pulitzer Prize winner Dominic Argento, Judith Lang Zaimont, and Donald Wilson.
Dr. Kono is also an accomplished soloist, having won the University of Minnesota Concerto Competition and performed with numerous orchestras and bands across Vermont, Ohio, Minnesota, Texas, and Tokyo. He served as principal tubist for the Victoria Symphony Orchestra in Texas and has performed with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, Kingsville Symphony Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, and Austin Symphony Orchestra, among others. His musical versatility extends to non-classical genres such as Jazz, Dixieland, Rock, and Klezmer. He studied tuba under notable instructors including Ivan Hammond, Ross Tolbert, Steven Bryant, Robert Lindahl, Daniel Perantoni, Harvey Phillips, Donald Little, David Zerkel, David Saygers, Paul Hunt, and Eichi Inagawa, and currently performs with the local tuba-euphonium quartet, MetalWerx.
Internationally recognized as an educator and advocate for music education, Dr. Kono has taught hundreds of private students and led numerous clinics and masterclasses. His students have won awards in regional, national, and international competitions. Dr. Kono holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin, with additional degrees from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Bowling Green State University.
Dr. Kono in the news:
- 12/16/20: "As Of Then": A Massive, Experimental, Creative Collaboration
- 2/19/20: "Yutaka Kono to conduct Orchestra of Central Tokyo's inaugural concert"
- 9/18/19: "Yutaka Kono Places 3rd in American Prize for Conducting"
- 8/16/18: - Shelburne News
- 2/18/18: - Seven Days
- 10/27/17: - Times Argus
- 3/23/17: "Faculty Feature: Yutaka Kono" - University Communications
- 4/4/16: - University Communications
- 12/16/15: - Seven Days
- 1/28/15: - Seven Days
Publications
Dr. Kono's book and transcriptions are published from Tuba Euphonium Press, Cimarron Press, and Linus Publications
Courses
- MUL U - Applied Lessons, tuba
- MU 060 - Intro to Music Technology
- MU 062 - Technology for Music Education
- MU 123 - Orchestra
- MU 181 - Conducting
- MU 281 - Advanced Conducting
Awards and Achievements
He was placed as the third place winner for The American Prize for orchestral conducting at the college/university level, and earned Bronze Medal of the Global Music award for his composition "Mamma at the Gate."
Areas of Expertise
Orchestra, music technology, conducting
Associations and Affiliations
Associations and Affiliations
Dr. Kono is a member of ITEA, Pi Kappa Lambda, the College Music Society, College Orchestra Directors Association, and the Conductors Guild.