It's not rare for a conductor from overseas to collaborate with a Japanese orchestra, but the case of Jonathan Nott stands out because of the speed at which he and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra cultivated their relationship.
The British conductor made his debut with the TSO in October 2011 and, after only one collaboration, was invited to become music director. Nott, 53, assumed the three-year posting in September 2014, and a year later the TSO announced his contract would be extended until the 2025/26 season.
"I was surprised, but I liked that spontaneity," Nott tells The Japan Times. "I think the quickness of the decision is reflected in the way that I like music to be made."