Tokyo’s NHK Symphony Orchestra has appointed Paavo Järvi as its new chief conductor from the 2015-16 season on an initial three-year contract. The busy maestro adds the position to a string of roles, including music director of the Orchestre de Paris, music director of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, artistic director of Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and music director laureate of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Järvi first conducted the NHK Symphony in January 2002 and will next conduct the orchestra in February 2015 before his contract begins formally in September of that year. He is a well-known figure on Japanese podiums thanks to frequent appearances touring with his orchestras – most recently in June 2012 with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony.

The NHK Symphony has been associated with a number of distinguished conductors, including André Previn who relinquishes his role of principal guest conductor in August 2012, and Vladimir Ashkenazy, who was music director from 2004-2007 and currently holds the post of conductor laureate.

Meanwhile, over at the Tokyo Symphony, rising Polish conductor Krzysztof Urbański has been named the orchestra’s principal guest conductor for three years from April 2013. The 29-year-old is music director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and chief conductor of Norway’s Trondheim Symfoniorkester.