Takeo Sato
Takeo Sato began his international career as a concert guitarist at the age of 12 and is considered one of the most remarkable guitarists of his generation:
In 1996, at the age of 14, he won 1st prize at the prestigious International Guitar Contest in Bath, England.
Even before beginning his main studies, he had already won numerous awards, including three 1st prizes in solo and duo categories at the national competition “Jugend musiziert” (1995, 1997, 2000), prizes at the Anna Amalia Guitar Competition in Weimar (1997, 2000) and the 41st International Guitar Competition in Tokyo, Japan (1998). In addition, in 2009 he won 1st prize at the International Guitar Competition Johann Sebastian Bach in Reisbach.
In recognition of his extraordinary achievements, in 2000 he was awarded the Special Prize of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of Saarland.
Education
He received his first guitar lessons at the age of 9 from his father, the Japanese master luthier Kazuo Sato.
Soon afterwards he took private lessons and began his preparatory studies at the Saarland University of Music and Performing Arts with Prof. Ansgar Krause.
In 2001, Takeo Sato was admitted to the guitar class of Prof. Franz Halász at the University of Music in Augsburg, where he completed his main studies in 2005 with distinction.
In the following two years, he completed the master class at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague with Prof. Zoran Dukic.
Masterclasses with renowned composers, leading figures of the guitar scene and specialists in early music such as Toshio Hosokawa, David Russell, Alvaro Pierri, Carlo Marchione, Hubert Käppel, Ricardo Gallén, Stefano Grondona and Eduardo Egüez completed his training.
Musical Career
His musical activities include radio and television productions (SR, BR), world premieres of contemporary music, as well as chamber music projects that complement his career as a solo guitarist.
These include recordings and concert tours with the Croatian Guitar Quartet (album “SUMMIT”) and the Alegrías Guitar Trio (albums “One Night in Sevilla”, “Café International, Crossroads”) as well as performances in renowned concert series with artists such as Daniel Behle, Günther Groissböck, Stefanie Irányi, Iris Lichtinger, Judith Müller, Colin Balzer, Dominik Wilgenbus, Dimitri Lavrentiev, Tristan Angenendt and others. In 2016 he collaborated with the renowned dancer and choreographer Catherine Habasque and the countertenor Thomas Lichtenecker on a project at the Elisabethenkirche in Basel.
In 2018 he took part in a Sony CD production in Zurich together with Daniel Behle and the Oliver Schnyder Trio.
Takeo Sato regularly performs with renowned orchestras such as the Augsburg Philharmonic, the Chamber Opera Munich and the Chamber Orchestra Die Zarge, under the direction of Héja Domonkos, Nabil Shehata, Christian Reif, Thomas Guggeis, Bernhard Tluck and Katsiaryna Ihnatsyeva-Cadek.
From 2005–2012 he performed for the Yehudi Menuhin – Live Music Now association in Augsburg and Munich. From 2013 to 2017 he was deputy chairman and artistic director of the association Live Music Now – Augsburg.
Together with Dimitri Lavrentiev, Takeo Sato is the founder and organizer of the annual International Guitar Festival Augsburg. (www.guitarfestival-augsburg.de)
Publications
In 2011, Takeo Sato released his first solo album “recital” (on raccanto), which received critical acclaim, including in the magazine Akustik Gitarre (issue 5/12: “…a worthwhile, gold-framed calling card of his guitar skills.”).
In 2012, his first publication appeared with Chanterelle Verlag (Sonata WoO 33 / 4 & 5 by L. v. Beethoven, arranged for guitar), created in cooperation with the Beethoven House in Bonn and the Berlin State Library.
2018 Sony CD production with Daniel Behle, the Oliver Schnyder Trio, Alexander Kuralionok and Andreas Berger at SRF Studio, Zurich.
Teaching
In 2005, two years before completing his studies, he began teaching one of Europe’s most successful guitar classes as an assistant to Prof. Franz Halász.
Since 2008, he has led his own guitar class at the Leopold Mozart Centre for Music at the University of Augsburg. Graduates of his class have successfully pursued master’s studies with internationally renowned professors such as Prof. Carlo Marchione and Prof. Thomas Fellow.
In 2014, Takeo Sato began teaching at the Bavarian music academies within the framework of the Max Weber Program of the Free State of Bavaria for the promotion of highly gifted students under the Bavarian Elite Support Act.
In 2016, Takeo Sato was appointed Professor for the central artistic subject of Guitar at the Vorarlberg State Conservatory in Feldkirch, Austria.
He regularly gives masterclasses in Germany and abroad. In addition, he serves as a juror at national and international competitions in Germany, Korea and Thailand.
Other
Takeo Sato plays a master guitar built by his father Kazuo Sato and is sponsored by Hannabach Strings, Hercules Stands, Guitarlift and Hughes & Kettner.
