ABOUT THE MUSIC DIRECTOR

The 2008-2009 school year marks Akiko Fujimoto's second season as the Music Director of the William & Mary Symphony Orchestra and Conducting Associate for the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Previously, Ms. Fujimoto served as the Music Director of the Mozart Society Orchestra at Harvard University for five years, where her performances have won wide acclaim with audiences and musicians alike. In 2003-2004, she took a leave from Harvard University to serve as the Interim Music Director of the Stanford Symphony Orchestra at Stanford University.

Ms. Fujimoto made her professional debut with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Canada in June of 2006 as one of the five participants in the NAC Conductors Programme. In the summer of 2007, she also worked with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

Native of Japan, Ms. Fujimoto began her musical training in piano and later studied trombone and voice. Ms. Fujimoto holds her Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Boston University, Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Eastman School of Music, and Bachelor of Arts in Music and Psychology from Stanford University.