MANILA, Philippines—Japanese conductor Yoshikazu Fukumura returns to lead the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in its seventh season concert on March 20at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater) at 8 pm.

Program consists of Rossini’s “Overture to Semiramide,” Haydn’s “Symphony No. 82” (“The Bear”), Ravel’s “Ma Mere l’Oye” and Aram Khachaturian’s “Masquerade Suite.”

Recognized as one of the famous maestros in Japan, Yoshikazu Fukumura is the former music director of the Tokyo Ballet, Kyoto Municipal Symphony and Nagoya Philharmonic. He received a national recognition in Japan for conducting the NHK TV Concert Series titled “Music of the World” in 1970.

He has also conducted the Japan Philharmonic, New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo Symphony, Tokyo Philharmonic, Yomiuri Japan Symphony, Osaka Philharmonic, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, Gunma Symphony, Sapporo Symphony, Kyushu Symphony, and other well-acclaimed performances abroad, including Europe, Latin America, and in Asia.

He has found a huge satisfaction in working with Asian orchestras—from making recordings to conducting festivals and subscription concerts in almost all parts of Asia. He was assigned as the first chief conductor of Asean Symphony Orchestra— consisting of 80 musicians carefully selected from some of the Asean countries, at the 17th Asean summit in Hanoi in October 2010 as supported by the Nippon Foundation.

Fukumura has been the Honorary Principal Guest Conductor of the Cuba National Symphony Orchestra since 1995. Under the support of the Japanese embassy in Cuba, he collaborated with the Cuba National Symphony Orchestra in September 2011 for the Great East Japan Earthquake mourning concert along with violin soloist Ryu Goto and oboist Keisuke Wakao. Popular for conducting charity concerts, Yoshikazu Fukumura was appointed as the music director for the charity concert of the special orchestra in support to the Association of the Blind in Phnohm Penh, Cambodia in the same year.

Ticket prices are P1,500, P1,200, P800, P500, P300, with discounts available to students, senior citizens and groups. Subscription packages are also available for eight (8) or four (4) shows. For inquiries and subscriptions, please call the CCP Marketing Department (832-1125 loc. 1804), the CCP Box Office (832-3704) or Ticketworld at National Bookstore (891-9999).