RIGHT AT HOME. Humble yet charismatic, Nobuyoshi Yasuda (“Nobu”) has proudly served as the conductor of both the Chippewa Valley Symphony and the UW-Eau Claire Symphony Orchestra for nearly two decades.

Sitting alone in a coffee shop, Nobuyoshi Yasuda pores over countless symphonic scores, delving into the intricacies of notes, rhythmic patterns, harmonies, and tonality, looking for a spark of inspiration to kindle musical fervor in others.

The humble, yet charismatic Yasuda, affectionately known as “Nobu,” has proudly served as the conductor of both the Chippewa Valley Symphony and the UW-Eau Claire Symphony Orchestra for nearly two decades. His passion and dedication to the musical craft is contagious; he is the catalyst for the powerhouse symphonies that make audiences react with visceral energy and enthusiasm. He is not only a teacher, but also a true maestro in its most honorary definition.  

Music for Nobu represents a certain sense of sentimentality. For him, it’s a gift to foster true sensory experience and contentment through expression. Perhaps stronger and more transcendent than his love for music itself is the satisfaction he receives from enlightening others.

“I would like to share my passion for music with others and nurture their love for music; playing music should be joyous, not just fun,” said Nobu. “The difference between fun and joy is that fun is just a pleasure. On the contrary, joy is a strong feeling of excitement and satisfaction. People feel joy when they attain what they want after putting their heart into it – the harder you persevere, the more joy you feel. I would like to build such an exciting orchestra that every musician feels the joy of playing music and aspires to perform at a high standard.”

A native of Takarazuka, Japan, Nobu is also an accomplished violinist, holding degrees from Soai University in Japan, and Indiana University in the states. Throughout his career, Nobu has performed both as a violin soloist and chamber musician across the United States and Japan. His accomplishments granted him numerous fellowships and opportunities to serve as guest conductor for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and acting assistant conductor for the Minnesota Orchestra. Internationally, he served as guest conductor of the NDR Philharmonic-Hannover in Germany.

With the help of the advisory committee, Nobu selects the Chippewa Valley Symphony’s repertoire. This season, the symphony has undertaken the ambitious scores of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with a Cuban pianist, Nachito Herrera, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.4. Both were met with rave audience reviews. Music lovers can expect the sounds of timeless Christmas classics for the upcoming holiday season.

At UWEC, he both directs the symphony orchestra and holds private violin lessons. Nobu hopes to both instill an appreciation for the art that is music, but also an affinity for critical thinking. He sees himself as more of a coach than a teacher in the traditional sense.

“While I was thinking about teaching, I became curious what the word, ‘Education’ really means,” said Nobu. “According to a dictionary, it originated in the Latin word, ‘Educe.’ It means ‘to draw out something hidden, latent, or reserved.’ ‘Educe’ implies the bringing out of something’s potential. I think this is exactly the heart of education.”

Nobu hopes he can continue to provide the type of passion and drive that moves people on both a mental and spiritual level.

“In order to maintain burning passion within me, I must constantly seek opportunities to improve myself and put myself in more challenging environments, expanding the horizon of my experience and improving my expertise,” said Nobu. “A conductor’s ultimate goal is to bring out the best performance from the musicians. A conductor should possess ability to unleash potential from each musician and to bring out the best from the orchestra. I must be the raw model of what I want to see.”