Ohyama Bows Out as the Principal Violist

Heiichiro Ohyama, whose three-year contract as a Los Angeles Philharmonic assistant conductor expired in June and who has remained since as principal violist, has decided to leave the orchestra to pursue a conducting career.

“I would like to try to become a conductor,” Ohyama said Friday, explaining why he is departing the orchestra. He has held the position of principal violist since 1979. His last concerts with the orchestra are scheduled for the first week of April.

Ironically, at Thursday night’s concert he was replaced during the Sibelius “En Saga” part of the program, conducted by music director designate Esa-Pekka Salonen. The work prominently features a viola solo, which was played by associate violist Dale Hikawa.

Ohyama said that in the spring, a recording will be made and “the soloist on the that recording should play for the concert.”

He said he has some trepidation leaving the security of orchestra to go into the relatively “uncharted” area of conducting. But he welcomed the challenge: “For the first time in my life I think I’m making a choice for myself,” he said.

During his conducting term he led the Philharmonic in subscription and special concerts at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and Hollywood Bowl. He has also conducted the Philharmonic Institute Orchestra.

Ohyama’s appointment came during Andre Previn’s tenure as music director, and Previn has remained a close associate and colleague, performing this year at the La Jolla Summerfest, of which Ohyama is artistic director. Ohyama remained noncommittal when asked if the change to Salonen’s directorship affected the decision not to renew his contract.

No announcement was made and Ohyama’s name as an assistant conductor simply disappeared from the Philharmonic program. “His contract ran out, and we don’t really need more than one assistant conductor,” said Ernest Fleischmann, executive vice president of the Philharmonic. “There was nothing to announce.”

“I guess the contract expired, and I wasn’t offered a new one,” is all Ohyama would say.

In addition to his Summerfest post, Ohyama, 43, is music director of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra--which opened its season Tuesday--music adviser to the local Japanese Philharmonic, and the director of the orchestra and chamber music program at the Crossroads School. He is also a professor at UC Santa Barbara and spends a month every summer at the Roundtop Festival in Texas.

“When I came to the Philharmonic, my experience was mostly in chamber music. The Philharmonic is really the only orchestra I know well,” the Kyoto-born Ohyama said. “I would like to guest conduct here and there, and get to know other orchestras. I need to be free to accept assignments.”

His future engagements include a stint with the Baltimore Symphony, a tour with the Royal Philharmonic, two trips to Japan, orchestral concerts with the Potsdam Opera, and concerts with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra next season.