Conductor and pianist, Rei Hotoda is one of America’s most dynamic classical musicians.  She has guest conducted orchestras throughout North America and Europe including the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, Thunder Bay Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic, Greater Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra, the Staatskapelle Weimar Orchestra and the International Contemporary Ensemble. A protégé of acclaimed conductor Marin Alsop, Hotoda is currently in her third season as assistant conductor of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. She has led the WSO in concerts to over 14,000 audience members in the Greater Manitoba area and has conducted a myriad of series with the WSO including the Masterworks, Musically Speaking, Outreach Concerts, Family and Educational Concerts, the New Music Festival, and the Baroque Music Festival where she conducted from the harpsichord.

Ms. Hotoda is the newly appointed assistant conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and will begin her new position in September 2009. Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Jaap van Zweden said, “She seems to be a very intelligent and strong musician. We look forward to having her with us.” And President of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Doug Adams added, “Rei Hotoda made a strong impression during the final round of auditions. She was the unanimous choice, and we are delighted that she will be joining the DSO team.”

Ms. Hotoda has held positions such as Assistant Conductor of the 2005 Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in California and the 2005 Hot Springs Music Festival. Other appointments include principle conductor of Chicago’s new music group Noamnesia and Ensemble N_JP. She has conducted many famous touring groups including Five by Design, Platypus Theater Group, Dan Kamin and Jeans’n Classics. Recently, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Ms. Hotoda conducted Guy Maddin’s film Brand upon the Brain for live orchestra with Isabella Rosselini as narrator. Ms. Hotoda has also toured with singer Steve Bell conducting various major orchestras throughout Canada. As an advocate of new music. Ms. Hotoda has conducted premieres of notable composers from Asia, Europe and North America including Toshio Hosokawa, Nicole Lizee, Dai Fujikura, Salvatore Sciarrino, and Michael Maierhof. She has worked closely with renowned composers Chan Ka Nin, Jennifer Higdon and Christos Hatzis.

In 2007, Rei Hotoda recorded Symphony Sessions with Signpost records, a CD featuring singer Steve Bell and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. This fall, she will release two recordings including Apparitions, a solo piano compilation of contemporary Asian composers; and This Will Not Be Televised, featuring members of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra performing music by Nicole Lizee under Hotoda’s baton.

Ms. Hotoda studied conducting with Gustav Meier at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. She holds a doctorate in piano performance from the University of Southern California and a bachelor of music in piano performance from the Eastman School of Music.