Yutaka Kono, DMA
Tubist, Educator, Arranger, Conductor
河野豊 音楽芸術博士
テューバ奏者 指揮者
テキサスA&M大学キングスヴィル 助教授
Dr. Yutaka Kono is currently Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and the Assistant Conductor of the Kingsville Symphony Orchestra (TX). He is the first person to receive a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Tuba performance from The University of Texas at Austin. He also received a Master of Music in Tuba performance from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and a Bachelor of Music from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Dr. Kono studied tuba with Steven Bryant, Ivan Hammond and Ross Tolbert and studied conducting with Jerry Junkin and Mark Kelly. He previously taught at The University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas.
Dr. Kono has been active with the Kingsville Symphony Orchestra since its inception in 2005 as both the assistant conductor and vice president of the board. His responsibilities include orchestra rehearsals until the arrival of guest conductors as well as day-to-day operations of the orchestra alongside the other board members.
Dr. Kono is a highly active performer on tuba. As a soloist, he is the winner of the concerto competition held at the University of Minnesota and performed with several orchestras and bands in Ohio, Minnesota and Texas. As a chamber musician, Kono performed with the Austin Symphony Brass Quintet, Austin City Brass, Austin Brass Ensemble, and a jazz ensemble--Tina Marsh’s Creative Opportunity Orchestra. His orchestral credits include the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, Austin Symphony Orchestra, New Texas Music Festival Orchestra, Bowling Green Symphony Orchestra, Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra and many others.
Recent conducting highlights include the World Premiere performance of Flight by Marcus Karl Maroney with the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Flute Choir and the KSO Chamber Orchestra Concert in March, 2008. In October 2008, Kono conducted the season opening concert of the Kingsville Symphony Orchestra. At South Central Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference in Corpus Christi, Texas, he conducted Textures: Symphony for Tuba Euphonium Ensemble by Michael Forbes with the TAMUK Tuba Euphonium Ensemble. In addition, he also conducted the Conference Mass Ensemble. Dr. Kono will return to KSO in November 2009 concert.
His transcription of Fugue by J.S. Bach for tuba-euphonium quartet has been published from the Tuba-Euphonium Press. BVD Press will publish Dr. Kono’s transcription of Trois Chanson by Claude Debussy for brass quintet in this coming month. He is a member of ITEA, TMEA, Pi Kappa Lambda, the College Music Society and the Conductors Guild.
