Meet Taichi Fukumura

Currently Co-Assistant Conductor of the Chicago Sinfonietta, Japanese American Taichi Fukumura is a former Chicago Sinfonietta Project Inclusion Freeman Conducting Fellow. A young conductor with a growing international career, he is known for his dynamic stage presence, musical finesse, and passionate interpretations. Current posts include Director of Orchestras at Merit School of Music and Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Northwestern Medical Orchestra as well as serving as an appointed member of the Evanston Arts Council of Illinois. This 2021-22 season, Mr. Fukumura has been engaged by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as guest cover conductor, and continues to serve the Chicago Philharmonic as cover conductor. He assisted the Chicago Sinfonietta and Music Director Mei-Ann Chen at the 2021 Ravinia Festival, and in May 2022 will conduct the orchestra in the world premiere of Michelle Isaac’s Moshe’s Dream.

Amongst Fukumura’s past positions are Staff Conductor at Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, Assistant Conductor at the Northwestern University Opera Theatre, Emerging Conductor Fellow of the Peninsula Music Festival, and Assistant Conductor of the Boston Civic Symphony, followed by being appointed Associate Conductor, a position created especially for him.

The recipient of a prestigious 2021 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award. Taichi Fukumura was born in Tokyo, Japan, and grew up in Boston, where he began music studies at age three on the violin. He holds a Bachelor of Music in violin performance from Boston University (BU). Switching his focus to conducting, Fukumura received his Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting and Master of music in conducting from Northwestern University.