is a Japanese orchestral and choral conductor and author based in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Ito is the third generation to be born into a musical family of conductors in

Fukuoka is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. ...

, Japan. He moved to the US in 1997 in order to study international affairs at the

Elliott School of International Affairs The Elliott School of International Affairs (known as the Elliott School or ESIA) is the professional school of international relations, foreign policy, and international development of the George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. It is ...

the George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a private federally-chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Originally named Columbian College, it was chartered in 1821 by the United States Congress and is the first ...

. After graduating, however, he decided to become a professional musician and moved to New York City to study intensively. Ito started his professional career as a conductor in March 2008 with

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

's opera ''

The Marriage of Figaro ''The Marriage of Figaro'' (, ), K. 492, is a ''commedia per musica'' (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienn ...

'' at the Goldstein Theatre in

Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...

, New York. Soon after the debut he became music director of the Reona Ito Chamber Orchestra, a professional orchestra newly established by himself and the Japanese immigrant community in the New York metropolitan area. Ito's inaugural performance with the ensemble was at

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

in June of the same year. From 2011 to 2013, Ito was music director of Zagreb Sinfonietta in

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

. In August 2012 he and the orchestra were invited by the

Poreč Poreč (; known also by several alternative names) is a town and municipality on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula, in Istria County, west Croatia. Its major landmark is the 6th-century Euphrasian Basilica, which was designated a UN ...

Music Festival to perform at the

Euphrasian Basilica The Euphrasian Basilica (, ) or the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary is a Roman Catholic basilica in the Istrian town of Poreč, Croatia. The episcopal complex, which comprises the basilica itself, a sacristy, a baptistery and the bel ...

, one of the

UNESCO World Heritage World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between sovereign states and/or international organizations that is governed by int ...

Sites. On 5 March 2013 he conducted a special concert celebrating the 20th-Year Anniversary of the Japan-Croatia Diplomatic Establishment, which was supported by the Office of the President of the

Republic of Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Mont ...

and the Embassy of Japan. Ito was also invited for an official meeting with the then president

Ivo Josipović Ivo Josipović (; born 28 August 1957) is a Croatia, Croatian Academic staff, academic, jurist, composer, and politician who served as the president of Croatia from 2010 to 2015. Josipović entered politics as a member of the League of Communist ...

at the Office. In October 2014, Ito placed as third runner up of

the American Prize The American Prize is a set of annual nonprofit national competitions in the performing arts which recognizes and rewards commercial and noncommercial recorded performances of classical music in the United States based on submitted applications. T ...

in Orchestral Conducting (Professional Orchestra Division), one of the most prestigious national prizes for classical musicians in the US.Conductor Winners
. The American Prize Official Blog. 28 October 2014.

Writings

* Ito, Reona. 2020. "Hearing the Music of the Spheres (宇宙の音楽を聴く, ''Uchū no Ongaku o Kiku'')".

Kobunsha is a Japanese publishing company. It publishes literature, manga novels, and women's magazines. Company history Kobunsha was established on October 1, 1945, and belongs to the Kodansha group. The company has published Japanese authors such a ...

. . * Ito, Reona. 2016. "On the Case of ‘Japan’s

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

’

Mamoru Samuragochi is a Japanese composer from Hiroshima Prefecture who falsely stated that he was totally deaf. He said throughout his career that he was deaf which led to foreign media dubbing him a "digital-age Beethoven". He was also the name credited for the ...

: ‘Real’ Beethoven and General Awareness on Rights & Duties in Western Music History". ''The Bulletin of Musashino Gakuin University'' Japan Research Institute, Vol. 13: 151–159. . * Ito, Reona. 2009. �
A Conductor and His Orchestra: A Bridge between Cultures
��. The

Consulate General A consul is an official representative of a government who resides in a foreign country to assist and protect citizens of the consul's country, and to promote and facilitate commercial and diplomatic relations between the two countries. A consu ...

of Japan in New York “Japan Info”, Vol. 27.

References

External links

Official Facebook pageAgency website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ito, Reona 1979 births Living people Elliott School of International Affairs alumni American male conductors (music) American classical musicians of Japanese descent 21st-century American conductors (music) Musicians from Fukuoka Japanese emigrants to the United States 21st-century male musicians