Profile

    Nobuya Sugawa is an internationally acclaimed saxophonist whom Japan is very much proud of. He graduated from Tokyo University of Arts. He has won the highest prizes in the 51st Music Competition of Japan, and also has won in the 1st Japan Wind and Percussion Competition.

    He has been invited to over 25 countries and hold recitals and master classes. He gave solo recitals at Wien Musikverein, Suntory Hall, et al.

    He has performed with almost all orchestras of Japan including NHK Symphony Orchestra under Charles Dutoit and Alan Gilbert. Outside Japan, he has performed with BBC Philharmonic, The Philharmonia Orchestra, Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen, Aargau Symphony Orchestra, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Eastman Wind Ensemble, and Orchestra d’Harmonie de la Garde Républicaine, among others. He has also played with soloists such as Fazil Say, Ron Carter, Martin Taylor, Jean-Yves Fourmeau, Arno Bornkamp, Kenneth Tse, etc.

    Since his debut, he has actively commissioned new works for saxophone to many remarkable composers. Many of these works have become internationally popular and been added to the important classical saxophone repertoires of the 20th and 21st centuries. Some examples among many are; ‘Fuzzy Bird Sonata’ and ‘Cyber Bird Concerto’ by Takashi Yoshimatsu, ‘Saxophone Concerto’ by Edward Gregson, ‘Cinnamon Concerto’ by Martin Ellerby, ‘Dance of Uzume’ by Piet Swerts, ‘Concerto du Vent’ by Toshiyuki Honda, ‘La lune en paradise’ and ‘Paganini Lost’ by Jun Nagao, and ‘BIRDS - A Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Band’ by Toshio Mashima, ‘SUITE for Alto Saxophone and Piano, Op.55’ and ‘Ballad for alto saxophone and orchestra, Op.67’ by Fazil Say, ‘Sonata for Alto Saxophone & Piano Florida to Tokyo’ by Chick Corea, ‘Fantasia for alto sax and piano’ by Ryuichi Sakamoto.

    He has recorded over 30 CDs includes solo album from CHANDOS and published “Play Along Series” by De Haske.

    He has assumed a role of the concert master of Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra for almost 22 years from 1989 through 2010.

    Currently he is a member of Trouvère Quartet (Saxophone Quartet), the resident conductor of Yamaha Symphonic Band, music adviser of Shizuoka City Shimizu Cultural Hall, music director of Marinart Winds, and is a visiting professor of Tokyo University of the Arts and Kyoto City University of Arts.

 

Instrument set-up:

Soprano saxophone: YSS-875 EXG

YAMAHA Alto saxophone: YAS-875 EXG, YAMAHA　   http://www.sugawasax.com https://www.facebook.com/NobuyaSugawa.saxophone

Sugawa Nobuya Official Youtube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRPl2w24f5Ox7a4c0YaHwaA

Discography