Shunsuke Sato

Shunsuke Sato (佐藤 俊介, Satō Shunsuke, born 10 June 1984 in Tokyo) is a Japanese-born, classical and baroque violinist. He is the concertmaster and artistic director of the Netherlands Bach Society.^[1]

Shunsuke Sato
Shunsuke Sato in 2005
Background information
Born	(1984-06-10) 10 June 1984 (age 38) Tokyo, Japan
Genres	Classical music
Occupation(s)	Violinist
Instrument(s)	Violin

Shunsuke Sato in 2005

Musical activities

Sato started his concert career in the United States at age 12, by winning the Young Concert Artists first prize in 1997,^[2] performing throughout North America, Europe, and Japan as a soloist with orchestras such as Baltimore Symphony, Seattle Symphony,^[3] National Symphony Orchestra (United States), Minnesota Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Omsk Academy Symphony Orchestra,^[4] Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France, Gulbenkian Orchestra, and Copenhagen Philharmonic.

Sato's New York recital debut in 2000 was quoted as " his concert was a knockout...has developed an astonishing level of poise and musicality" in The New York Times by Allan Kozinn on 24 October 2000.^[5]

In 2001, Sato became the youngest artist^{[failed verification]} to perform Beethoven's violin concerto at the Beethoven Festival in Bonn, Germany, which was broadcast through Deutsche Welle.^[6]

He was the recipient of a loan by Nippon Music Foundation^[7] and a winner of Idemitsu Music Award in 2005 sponsored by Idemitsu Kosan, one of leading oil companies in Japan.

In 2007, as a violist, Sato recorded viola solo sonatas written for Sato by Akira Nishimura for Camerata Tokyo.^[8]

Sato was mentored by Chin Kim, Dorothy DeLay^[9] and trained and educated by Masao Kawasaki at the Juilliard School, Jaime Laredo at the Curtis Institute, Gérard Poulet at the École Normale de Musique de Paris, Mary Utiger at Hochschule für Musik und Theater München.

As a baroque violinist, he won the Second Prize and the Audience Award at the 17th International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig, Germany in July, 2010.^[10][11] The Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan chose Sato to be a recipient of the New Face Prize in Music Division at its 65th Arts Festival based on his Baroque recital which took place in Tokyo on 29 October 2010.^[12]

In October 2011, Sato made his UK debut in Cambridge and London with the Academy of Ancient Music under the direction of Richard Egarr, performing Niccolò Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 2 with gut strings on a period instrument.^[13] Two years later, in December 2013, Sato performed duo recitals of Mozart's sonatas at the Izumi Hall in Osaka^[14] and the Toppan Hall in Tokyo, Japan^[15] along with German pianist and harpsichordist Andreas Staier.

In January 2013, Sato was appointed concertmaster of the Netherlands Bach Society Orchestra, succeeding Johannes Leertouwer,^[16] as well as of the Concerto Köln.^[17] That same month, Sato also received a baroque violin made by Giovanni Grancino around 1695 - on loan from the Jumpstart Jr. Foundation in Amsterdam, Netherlands.^[18]
About ten months later, in November 2013, the Amsterdam School of the Arts announced their appointment of Sato as a guest teacher to the Early Music Department.^[19]

In August 2015, Sato made his Canadian debut in Montreal with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Kent Nagano, performing Johann Sebastian Bach's Violin Concerto No.1 with a period instrument.^[20] The live concert was recorded by Radio-Canada and nationally broadcast on Radio-Canada Télé, on ICI ARTV, on Radio-Canada's music network ICI Musique in September 2015, and on medici.tv in October 2015.

In November 2016, performance by Concerto Köln of Antonio Vivaldi's The Four Seasons was recorded live in Kempen, Germany, with Sato as a soloist, and was released by Berlin Classics.^[21]

In September 2016, Sato made his Australian debut in Sydney and Melbourne with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra under direction of Paul Dyer, performing Niccolò Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 4, playing with gut strings. In the tour, Sato directed Felix Mendelssohn's String Symphony No. 3 and Edvard Grieg's Holberg Suite Op. 40. The live concert in Melbourne was recorded and broadcast by ABC Classic FM, and in February 2017 it was released in CD from ABC Classics.^[22]

On 11 May 2017, Sato was appointed the 6th artistic director of the Netherlands Bach Society (Nederlandse Bachvereniging) beginning on 1 June 2018, succeeding Jos van Veldhoven.^[23]

On 16 April 2019, Sato received the 31st Music Award in Classical Music/Solo Performance by the Japan Music Pen Club.^[24]

From 28 September to 6 October 2019, as the 6th artistic director of the Netherlands Bach Society, Sato led a concert tour with the ensemble in Kyoto, Kanagawa, Hiroshima, and Tokyo Japan.^[25]

On 1 January 2020, Mainichi Shimbun published the 61st Arts Awards recipients, including Sato, based on his leadership of The Netherlands Bach Society's Japan tour and his J. S. Bach unaccompanied Sonatas and Partitas recitals in Tokyo, Kyoto, Yokohama, Saitama, Hiroshima.^[26][27]

In January 2020, the Record Geijutsu Journal awarded Sato the 57th Record Academy Award Silver Prize, the highest prize as soloist, highly evaluating his unaccompanied solo works by J. S. Bach (J.S. Bach:Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin from ACOUSTIC REVIVE).^[28]

On 4 Mar 2020, Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs announced the 76th Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Awards in Arts, which recognized Sato as a recipient of the Newcomer Award in Arts.^[29]

On 11 December 2020, Sato officially debuted as a conductor at the AVRO TV live televised concert of The Netherlands Bach Society at TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht, Netherlands.^[30]

On 20 December 2020, Sato's disk "12 Fantasias for Solo Violin (Telemann)" was reissued. The first and the limited edition was published on 31 July 2012.^[31]

Discography

Sato has released the following CDs.

* 2005　Eugène Ysaÿe: Six Sonatas for Solo Violin　(Label: Live Notes)
Recorded: August 2004/Released: January 2005
Daily Yomiuri: The Best New CD of the Month (February 2005)
Asahi Shimbun: The Critics' Recommendation (February 2005)
Mainichi Daily News: The Critics' Choice (February 2005)

1. Sonata in G minor op.27 no.1
2. Sonata in A minor op.27 no.2
3. Sonata in D minor "Ballade" op.27 no.3
4. Sonata in E minor op.27 no.4
5. Sonata in G major op.27 no.5
6. Sonata in E major op.27 no.6

* March 2006　Preludes: Favorite Miniatures　(Label: Live Notes)
Recorded: November 2005/Released: March 2006
(composer: see below/ piano: Takashi Sato)

1. George Gershwin～Heifetz：Three Preludes
2. Lili Boulanger：: Nocturne
3. Victor Herbert：・À la Valse
4. Piotr Tchaikovsky～Auer：Lensky's Aria
5. Percy Grainger～Kreisler：Molly on the Shore
6. Antonín Dvořák～Kreisler：Songs My Mother Taught Me
7. Alfredo D'Ambrosio～Elman：Serenade
8. Manuel Ponce～Heifetz：Estrellita
9. Jacques Ibert～Heifetz：Le petit âne blanc
10. Robert Schumann～Milstein：Abendlied
11. Cécile Chaminade～Kreisler：Sérénade espagnole
12. Moritz Moszkowski～Sarasate：Guitarre
13. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov～Kreisler：Chanson arabe
14. Felix Winternitz～Kreisler：Dance of the Marionette
15. Claude Debussy～Roque：La plus que lente
16. Henryk Wieniawski～Kreisler：Caprice in E-flat
17. Henryk Wieniawski；Polonaise Brillante

* October 2007　Edvard Grieg: Complete Sonatas for Violin and Piano　(Label: Live Notes)
Recorded: June 2007/Released: October 2007
Grand Prize awarded by the Agency for Cultural Affairs (Government of Japan), 62nd National Arts Festival 2007　^[32]
Contents(composer:Edvard Grieg/ piano：Takashi Sato)

1. Sonata no.1 in F major, op.8
2. Sonata no.2 in G major, op.13
3. Sonata no.3 in C minor, op.45

* March 2008　Shunske Sato Plays: Violin and Viola Solo Sonatas by Akira Nishimura　(Label: Camerata)
Recorded: March 2007 /Released: March 2008
Contents:　(composer:Akira Nishimura)

1. Sonata No. 1 for violin ('Incantation') (2005)
2. Sonata No. 2 for violin ('Trance Medium')(2005)
3. Sonata No. 3 for violin ('Characters of flame')(2007)
4. Monologue for solo violin (1995)
5. Sonata No. 1 for viola ('Whirl dance') (2005)
6. Sonata No. 2 for viola ('Mantra on the C string')(2007)
7. Fantasia on 'Song of the Birds', for viola (2005)
8. Threnody, for viola (1999)

* April 2009　Nicolò Paganini: 24 Caprices, op.1 (world premiere recording on period instrument) (Label: UCJ Japan)
Recorded: January 2009/Released: April 2009
Daily Yomiuri: The Best New CD of the Month (May 2009)
Mainichi Daily News: The Critics' Choice (May 2009)
CD Journal:The Choice of the mouth（May 2009）
Record Geijutsu: The best album of the month（June 2009）
Early Music America Magazine (Volume 17, Number 4, Winter 2011): IN CONCLUSION Hats Off, Gentle People! Is the Revolution Over? (by Anthony Martin)
Contents(composer: Nicolo Paganini：24 Caprices Op.1)

1. Caprice no.1 in E major
2. Caprice no.2 in B minor
3. Caprice no.3 in E minor
4. Caprice no.4 in C minor
5. Caprice no.5 in A minor
6. Caprice no.6 in G minor
7. Caprice no.7 in A minor
8. Caprice no.8 in E♭ major
9. Caprice no.9 in E major
10. Caprice no.10 in G minor
11. Caprice no.11 in C major
12. Caprice no.12 in A♭ major
13. Caprice no.13 in B♭ major
14. Caprice no.14 in E♭ major
15. Caprice no.15 in E minor
16. Caprice no.16 in G minor
17. Caprice no.17 in E♭ major
18. Caprice no.18 in C major
19. Caprice no.19 in E♭ major
20. Caprice no.20 in D major
21. Caprice no.21 in A major
22. Caprice no.22 in F major
23. Caprice no.23 in E♭ major
24. Caprice no.24 in A minor

* 26 May 2011 Joseph Haydn：『Oxford』、Violin Concerto No.1、Ludwig van Beethoven：Symphony No.2　Hidemi Suzuki＆Orchestra Libera Classica、Shunske Sato (Label:Arte Dell'arco Japan) Concert Live Recorded: 24 October 2010 / Released: 26 May 2011
Daily Yomiuri: The Recommended New CD of the Month (June 2011)

Contents:

1. Haydn：Violin Concerto No.1 in C Major Hob.VIIa:1
2. Haydn：Symphony No.92 in G Major Hob.I:92『Oxford』
3. Beethoven：Symphony No.2 in D Major op.36

* 31 July 2012　Georg Philipp Telemann: 12 Fantasias for Violin without Bass (Label: Live Notes)
The Record Geijutsu: The Editor's Choice (Oct 2012)
The Ongakuno Tomo: The Best New Cd of the Month (Sep 2012)
Recorded: December 2011/Released: 31 July 2012
Daily Yomiuri: The Best New CD of the Month (Aug 2012)
Asahi Shimbun : The Critics' Recommendation (Aug 2012)
CD Journal: Editor's Choice (Sep 2012)

Contents(composer: Georg Philipp Telemann：12 Fantasias for Violin without Bass)

1. Fantasia no.1 in B-flat major TWV
2. Fantasia no.2 in G major TWV
3. Fantasia no.3 in F minor TWV
4. Fantasia no.4 in D major TWV
5. Fantasia no.5 in A major TWV
6. Fantasia no.6 in E minor TWV
7. Fantasia no.7 in E-flat major TWV
8. Fantasia no.8 in E major TWV
9. Fantasia no.9 in B minor TWV
10. Fantasia no.10 in D major TWV
11. Fantasia no.11 in F major TWV
12. Fantasia no.12 in A minor TWV

* 20 October 2014　Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven: Haydn Symphony No. 67, Mozart Violin Concerto No.1, Beethoven Symphony No.4 Hidemi Suzuki＆Orchestra Libera Classica、Shunske Sato (Label:Arte Dell'arco Japan)

Contents:

1. Mozart：Violin Concerto No. 1 in B flat Major K.207
2. Haydn：Symphony No.67 in F Major Hob.I-67
3. Beethoven：Symphony No.4 in B flat Major op.60

* 18 November 2016　Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Concerto Köln & Shunske Sato (Berlin Classics Germany)

The Best Classical Music Album of the year by Deutschlandradio^[33]

The Best Classical Album of the year by Junge Weld^[34]

Contents:

1. Concerto No. 1 in E major The Four Seasons: Spring Op. 8, No.1 RV 269
2. Concerto No. 2 in G minor The Four Seasons: Summer Op. 8, No.2 RV 315
3. Concerto No. 3 in F major The Four Seasons: Autumn Op. 8, No.3 RV 293
4. Concerto No. 4 in F minor The Four Seasons: Winter Op. 8, No.4 RV 297

* 3 February 2017　The Romantics - Grieg | Mendelssohn | Paganini Australian Brandenburg Orchestra & Shunske Sato (Label:ABC Classics Australia)

Contents:

1. EDVARD GRIEG: From Holberg's Time – Suite in the Olden Style
2. FELIX MENDELSSOHN: String Symphony No. 3 in E minor
3. NICCOLÒ PAGANINI: Violin Concerto No. 4 in D minor

* 26 October 2018　Bach: Violin Concertos Shunske Sato, Il Pomo d'Oro (orchestra), Zefira Valova (Label:Rhino Warner Classics) The Record Geijutsu: The Editor's Choice The best album of the month (Dec 2018)
Gramophone: Editor's Choice (Jan 2019)^[35][36]

Contents:

1. J. S. Bach: Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor BWV1041
2. J. S. Bach: Violin Concerto No. 2 in E Major BWV1042
3. J. S. Bach: Concerto for Two Violins in D minor BWV1043
4. J. S. Bach: Violin Concerto No. 5 in G minor (Arr. Forkel) BWV1056R

* 7 May 2019　Étienne Méhul, Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Haydn: Méhul Opera "Stratonice" Overture, Beethoven Violin Concerto, Haydn Symphony No.94 Hob.I:94 "Surprise" Hidemi Suzuki＆Orchestra Libera Classica、Shunske Sato (Label:Arte Dell'arco Japan)

Contents:

1. Méhul：Opera "Stratonice" Overture
2. Beethoven：Violin Concerto in D Major op.61
3. Haydn：Symphony No.94 in G Major Hob.I-94 "Surprise"

The Record Geijutsu: The Editor's Choice (Aug 2019)
The Asahi Shimbun : The Critics' Recommendation (Jul 2019)^[37]

* 1 Aug 2019　Johann Sebastian Bach: J.S.Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin / Shunsuke Sato (Label: ACOUSTIC REVIVE)
Recorded: 1–4 May, 31, 2 June 2017/Released: 1 August 2019

Contents(composer: Johann Sebastian Bach：Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin

1. Sonata no.1 in G minor BWV1001
2. Partita no.1 in B minor BWV1002
3. Sonata no.2 in A minor BWV1003
4. Partita no.2 in D minor BWV1004
5. Sonata no.3 in C major BWV1005
6. Partita no.3 in E major BWV1006

The Record Geijutsu: The Editor's Choice The best album of the month (Nov 2019)
The Ongakuno Tomo: The Best New Cd of the Month (Nov 2012)
Asahi Shimbun: For Your Collection Classic The Best Disc (17 October 2019)^[38]
Daily Yomiuri: The Best New CD of the Month (17 October 2019)^[39]
CD Journal: The Choice of the Month (27 August 2019)^[40]

• 28 August 2020, Concertos 4 Violins Concerto Köln, Shunske Sato, Mayumi Hirasaki, Evgeny Sviridov, Jesús Merino-Ruiz.　(Label:Berlin Classics　Germany)
  1. Vivaldi：Violin Concerto in B minor Op.3-10 RV580
  2. Bonporti：Violin Concerto in E major Op.11ー９　
  3. Vivaldi：Violin Concerto in D major Op.3−１RV549
  4. Valentini：Violin Concerto in A minor Op.7−11
  5. Castrucci：Violin Concerto in G minor Op.3−6
  6. Locatelli：Violin Concerto in F major Op.4−12

* 20 December 2020 Georg Philipp Telemann: 12 Fantasias for Violin without Bass (Reissued Edition Label:Live Notes Japan)
Contents(composer: Georg Philipp Telemann：12 Fantasias for Violin without Bass)

1. Fantasia no.1 in B-flat major TWV
2. Fantasia no.2 in G major TWV
3. Fantasia no.3 in F minor TWV
4. Fantasia no.4 in D major TWV
5. Fantasia no.5 in A major TWV
6. Fantasia no.6 in E minor TWV
7. Fantasia no.7 in E-flat major TWV
8. Fantasia no.8 in E major TWV
9. Fantasia no.9 in B minor TWV
10. Fantasia no.10 in D major TWV
11. Fantasia no.11 in F major TWV
12. Fantasia no.12 in A minor TWV

References

1. "Ensemble – Bach".
2. Young Concert Artists Official Site see Alumni section year 1997
3. Seattle P-I "SATO MINGLES SOUL AND TECHNIQUE TO INAUGURATE SERIES WITH STYLE" by R. M. Campbell 19 July 1999
4. . Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
5. The New York Times by Allan Kozinn 24 October 2000
6. Shunsuke Sato at the Beethoven Festival 2001 by Rick Fulker 22 March 2002 at DW site
7. Music Foundation (EN) see recipients
8. Answers.com Whirl Dance: Shunské Sato plays Akira Nishimura reviewed by James Manheim
9. Teaching Genius:Dorothy DeLay and the Making of a Musician by Barbara Sand 2005 Hal Leonard Corporation p. 82
10. XVII International J. S. Bach Competition in Leipzig Official Site
11. Internationaler Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Wettbewerb MITTELDEUTSCHER RUNDFUNK Site
12. Agency for Cultural Affairs announced the prize winners in 2010 Arts Festival 30 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
13. Shunské Sato and the Academy of Ancient Music serve a dazzling Paganini
14. . Archived from the original on 30 July 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
15. "Andreas Steier Project 8"
16. Shunske Sato concertmeester van De Nederlandse Bachvereniging^{[permanent dead link]}
17. "Concerto Köln Muziker"
18. The result of the auditions 2012
19. "Conservatorium van Amsterdam announces that Violinist Shunske Sato to join the Early Music Department as a guest teacher" 19 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine
20. OSM's classical spree a success
21. "The Four Seasons : Berlin Classics". berlin-classics-music.com. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
22. ALBUM RELEASE:THE ROMANTICS GRIEG | MENDELSSOHN | PAGANINI AUSTRALIAN BRANDENBURG ORCHESTRA | SHUNSKE SATO
23. . Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
24. http://musicpenclub.com/prize/prize31.pdf^{[bare URL PDF]}
25. "Tourblog Japan – Bach".
26. "社告：第６１回毎日芸術賞 | 毎日新聞".
27. "第63回毎日芸術賞を贈呈".
28. . Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
29. "令和元年度（第70回）芸術選奨文部科学大臣賞及び同新人賞の決定について | 文化庁".
30. "Kerst met de Nederlandse Bachvereniging - Bach, Schütz, Corelli ea. - AVROTROS Vrijdagconcert - Live - YouTube". YouTube.
31. https://tower.jp/item/5134851/テレマン：12のファンタジー(無伴奏ヴァイオリンのための12の幻想曲)
32. the 62nd National Arts Festival List of prize winners by the Agency for Cultural Affairs 24 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
33. Deutschlandradio Kultur Das beste Klassikalbum
34. Junge Weld Jahresrückblick 2016. Heute: Die besten Platten, Filme, Bücher, Ausstellungen, Comics, Trainer
35. "Review".
36. "The best new classical albums: January 2019".
37. "Ｆｏｒ ｙｏｕｒ Ｃｏｌｌｅｃｔｉｏｎ クラシック音楽：朝日新聞デジタル". 18 July 2019.
38. "Ｆｏｒ ｙｏｕｒ Ｃｏｌｌｅｃｔｉｏｎ クラシック音楽：朝日新聞デジタル". 17 October 2019.
39. "キングインターナショナル".
40. "E-onkyo musicではじめる ハイカラ ハイレゾ生活 ［注目タイトル Pick Up］ フレーミング・リップスのめくるめくサイケデリック・ワールド / 清楚な声の持ち主、アンナ・ルチア・リヒターのソロ・デビュー作がすごい！ - CDJournal".

External links

 

Wikiquote has quotations related to Shunsuke Sato.

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shunske Sato.

• Shunske Sato Official website
• Facebook Official Page
• profile at Universal Music Japan
• biography at The Violin Site : Resource for Violinists
• biography at KAJIMOTO
• biography at Musicaglotz
• Nicolò Paganini Discography (UK) compiled by Peter Snedden see April 2009
• Corelli Violin Sonata with Shunske Sato and Richard Egarr (UK) complied by the Academy of Ancient Music 2011
• Shunske Sato on Paganini (UK) complied by the Academy of Ancient Music 2011
• "Voyez l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal et Kent Nagano en concert sur ICI Musique" ICI Musique Canada
• Kent Nagano conducts Bach and Respighi with Shunske Sato medici.tv
• Brandenburg Concerto No.4 in G major BWV1049 All of Bach presented by Netherlands' Bach Society
• Concerto Köln "The Four Seasons" Berlin Classics