Ko-ichiro Yamamoto

Ko-ichiro Yamamoto has been Principal Trombone of the Seattle Symphony since joining in 2006. He is also Principal Trombone of the Saito-Kinen Orchestra and is a School of Music faculty member at the University of Washington. Active as a soloist, recitalist, chamber music performer and clinician, Yamamoto has performed with many groups, including the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Chamber Orchestra, and as guest solo principal trombone of the NHK Symphony Orchestra. Born in Tokyo, Yamamoto began studying trombone at age 12 with his father, Tatsuo Yamamoto, and Yoshiki Hakoyama. Yamamoto studied with Joseph Alessi, Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic, at The Juilliard School from 1994–1996. Yamamoto helped organize Winds for Hope: A Benefit Concert for Japan, which took place in 2012 at Benaroya Hall and raised funds to replace musical instruments for Japanese students affected by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.