He is a flautist and arranger born in Sapporo, Japan who began his studies in flute when he was 14 years old. He moved to the USA and studied at the Interlochen Arts Academy, graduating in 1967 and performed at Tanglewood in 1970. He took further studies at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, graduating in 1972 with his Bachelor of Arts degree and went on to the Indiana University School of Music and graduated from there in 1977 with his Master of Music degree.
He became Assistant Principal Flute and Piccolo at Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in 1977 and was then appointed Principal Flute of the CBC Chamber Orchestra of Vancouver in 1980.
In 1981 he became a piccolo player with The Philadelphia Orchestra and remained with them until his retirement in 2016 after 35 years service.
Recordings he has performed on include his own Piccolo Virtuoso along with being a featured artist on The Walls Are Very Quiet Now (A Holocaust Remembrance Trilogy). He has played on Peter Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 “Pathetique”/Dumka by The Philadelphia Orchestra.
In the field of musical education he has been on the faculty of the Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University.
He plays here at the front in the brown jacket…
Sources:
- http://www.pomusicians.org/kazuo-tokito.html
- https://slippedisc.com/2016/08/ormandys-piccolo-calls-it-a-day/
- https://www.instantencore.com/contributor/contributor.aspx?CId=5077476
- https://archives.bso.org/Search.aspx?searchType=Performance&Soloist=Kazuo%20Tokito
- https://www.hmv.co.jp/en/productitemstock/stock/3866374
- https://www.discogs.com/de/artist/4625606-Kazuo-Tokito