Akihisa Kato

Akihisa Kato has studied clarinet under both Yukio Ohashi, and Koichi Hamanaka. He graduated Kunitachi College of Music in 1983. He then received the Yatabe Award, which was established that year. He has performed at new talent concerts such as the 53rd Yomiuri Newcomer Concert, and has won 1st place at the 16th Min-On Chamber Music Competition. In 1984, he won the very first Japan Clarinet Competition. Then, in 1985, he became a finalist in the 35th ARD International Music Competition, in the woodwind quintet section. He was awarded the first Buffet Crampon Prize at the Europe-Japan Music Course in 1988. He was also the winner of the 2nd Japan Clarinet Competition. In 1990, he joined the NHK Symphony Orchestra, until he retired from the NHK Symphony Orchestra in 2019. He has been a specially-appointed professor at Showa Academia Musica and part-time lecturer at Musashino Academia Musicae since 2019.