Kazushi Saito

Performing on Sankyo Flutes

Kazushi Saito was born in Kooriyama, Fukushima, Japan. After graduating from the Music high school attached to the Tokyo University of the Arts. Kazushi completed his studies at the university and its graduate school. In 1999, he won the 4th Biwako international Flute competition. In 2001, Kazushi was awarded the first prize of the 70th Music competition of Japan, along with the Kato award, the E. Nakamichi award, and the fourth place in the 5th Kobe international flute competition. He studied with Paul Meisen, Chang-kook Kim, Yumiko Sakuma, Masami Nakagawa, Tomio Nakano, Akiko Mikami and Narumi Yamasaki. Currently he is Principal flutist of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. He is teaching at Tokyo University of Arts, Kunitachi Music University and Senzoku Music University, a leading member of NOZZLES and the flute quartet. Kazushi is active in contemporary music as well. He is the vice director of Tokyo Sinfonietta, an internationally recognized performance group specialized in contemporary music. In the 68th Music competition of Japan in 1999, he won the Judge's Special prize for his performance at the final selection of the Composition Division. Kazushi energetically explores music that transcends genre, devoting some of his time to composing and arranging such music. In 2006, he was also awarded the Encouragement Prize by the Arion Music foundation.