1996年から東京フィルハーモニー交響楽団指揮者。95～2002年まで広島交響楽団正指揮者を歴任。NHK交響楽団の定期演奏会をはじめ国内の主要なオーケストラの定期演奏会にも定期的に客演を行い、その音楽性と指揮に対する信任を確実に得ている。オペラ、バレエでの活躍も目覚しく、新国立劇場で歌劇『友人フリッツ』、同劇場バレエ団では『白鳥の湖』『くるみ割り人形』『ドン・キホーテ』などを指揮。06年には『白鳥の湖』の新演出の指揮も行い、大成功を収めた。海外での公演ではサンクトペテルブルク交響楽団の定期演奏会に客演するなど、確実にキャリアを積んでいる。ピアニストとしても8歳のときに東京交響楽団、東京フィルと協演。
1987～89年まで渡欧しハンス・ライグラフ教授に師事。その後、東京フィル定期、広島交響楽団定期などでオーケストラと弾き振りを含むプログラムを行うなど、ピアニストとしての才能も評価されている。

（2010年6月現在）

Born in Tokyo. Since 1996 he has been a conductor of Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and was a resident conductor of Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra from 1995 to 2002. He made debut with NHK Symphony Orchestra in 1998 and since then he has regularly conducted the orchestra in subscription concerts and others. Other Japanese orchestras he regularly conducts are Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic, from all of which he has won trust on his musicality and conducting. He is also remarkable for conducting operas and ballets. He has conducted Mascagni's L'amico Fritz at the New National Theatre, Tokyo, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, and Don Quixote for the ballet company of the same theatre. He is also making international career conducting a subscription concert of St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra in 03/04 season.
He performed a Haydn's piano concerto as a pianist with Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 8. From 1987 to 1989 he studied piano at the Music Academy of Darmstadt, and in Prof. Hans Leygraf's master class. Since returning to Japan he has performed Beethoven's piano concertos No. 3 and No. 5 "Emperor", programs of Ravel, Mozart, some of which he conducted and played the piano in subscription concerts of Tokyo Philharmonic, and with Osaka Philharmonic and Sapporo Symphony.
Watanabe's talent as a pianist is also appreciated.

(Curriculum Vitae as of June 2010)

近日出演するコンサート

Appearance schedule