Naoki Yasuda joined the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2014 and currently serves as the Co-Principal Timpanist. Prior to this, he was the Co-Principal Timpanist/Percussionist of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra. Additionally, He has served as timpanist with GoingHomeProject Orchestra(South Korea) since 2022.
He has also performed with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Lahti Symphony Orchestra, KBS Symphony Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa.
Born in Japan, Yasuda started playing percussion at the age of 12 and later earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Kyoto City University of Arts. In 2009, he received the Aoyama Music Award for New Musician for his debut solo recital in Kyoto. As a grant recipient from the Aoyama Music Foundation, he studied timpani in Berlin, Vienna and Stockholm with Wieland Welzel, Michael Vladar and John Kapenekas.
In addition to his performance career, Yasuda served as a guest lecturer in percussion at Kyoto City University of Arts in 2017. He regularly teaches and gives masterclasses in Japan, Finland, and South Korea.