REI HOTODA
Conductor
Advocate
Pianist
BREAKING NEWS:
The Las Vegas Philharmonic has announced the appointment of acclaimed conductor Rei Hotoda as its next music director. Ms. Hotoda will begin her official tenure as the artistic leader of the institution in July 2026, while continuing in her role as Music Director of the Fresno Philharmonic.
"...the audience was immediately on their feet in cheers for this deeply moving performance and the great musical intelligence of Hotoda."
—Classical Music Voice of North Carolina
Upcoming Calendar
September 12 & 13- Las Vegas Philharmonic
(Las Vegas, NV)
Studio Ghibli in Concert [LEARN MORE]
September 26 & 27 - Fresno Philharmonic
(Fresno, CA)
Works by Márquez, Marsalis & Stravinsky [LEARN MORE]
about
Conductor Rei Hotoda captivates audiences through emotionally charged performances, imaginative programming, and a bold artistic vision that bridges contemporary voices with the symphonic canon. A distinguished pianist as well as conductor, Rei brings a soloist’s unique perspective to her artistry on the podium. The Spokesman-Review praised her conducting as “the most gripping, most authentic emotional experience possible.”
Renowned for her versatility on the podium, Rei has guest conducted many of today’s most esteemed ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and the symphony orchestras of Winnipeg, St. Louis, Hawaii, San Diego, Richmond, Kansas City, and Detroit as well as the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the American Composers Orchestra in her Carnegie Hall debut.
Through her imaginative programming, Rei has established herself as a driving force in shaping a more inclusive and relevant orchestral landscape. She purposefully programs works that reflect the vibrancy of today’s composers including those of Guillaume Connesson, Viet Cuong, Damien Geter, Gabriela Lena Frank, Vivian Fung, Wynton Marsalis, Jessie Montgomery, Dinuk Wijeratne, Jon Wineglass, among others.
As Music Director of both the Las Vegas Philharmonic and Fresno Philharmonic, Rei continues to shape critically acclaimed artistic programming through her championing of today’s leading composers and meaningful community connection through music. The 2026–2027 season marks her inaugural season as Music Director of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, launching a bold new artistic chapter for the orchestra. Following her recent contract renewal through the 2028–2029 season, Rei continues to expand the artistic vision and cultural impact of the Fresno Philharmonic through forward-looking programming, community-centered initiatives, and large-scale commissioning projects.
A distinguished pianist as well as conductor, Rei brings a soloist’s perspective to her leadership on the podium. Her ability to conduct from the keyboard strengthens her connection with the orchestra and the music itself. Recent highlights include performing George Antheil’s A Jazz Symphony from the piano with the American Composers Orchestra and Jessie Montgomery’s Rounds with the Las Vegas Philharmonic.
news
"According to conductor Rei Hotoda, music director of the Fresno Philharmonic, concertgoers are ready to move beyond Beethoven and Brahms. She points to the New York premiere of Tate’s piece Clans, for which she conducted the American Composers Orchestra, as proof that audiences are becoming more adventurous."
"[Rei Hotoda] is turning preconceived notions of the traditional classical music-going experience on their head...Hers is a story of a lifelong devotion to music. The passion that she consistently pours into her work never ceases—in fact, it only amplifies. For the Central Valley to host such an outstanding woman as a cornerstone of cultural significance is something to be celebrated."
"Under conductor Rei Hotoda, the ACO presented works that interpreted the concept of margins in various ways. There was a blending of jazz with classical music, some songs representing exile, a work about the shared borders of nature and human occupancy, a “meditation on time” that grows directly out of a Weimar composer’s work, and an ecstatic celebration of a marginalized people."
Press Contact
RA Complete Communications
Raechel Alexander
917. 815. 8790