Shin-ichiro Hikosaka
Hikosaka
performed Ito's "Concerto Fantastique pour Saxophone Alto et Orchestra
d'Harmonie" with The Philharmonic Winds at the Victoria Concert Hall on the
9th of December 2001.
Born
in Kagawa Prefecture in Japan, Shin-ichiro Hikosaka began his musical career
when he entered the Tokyo University of Arts, a prestigious national university
in the field of music in Japan. During his studies there, he was awarded the
ATAKA prize, a coveted award presented only to a few selected students. Hikosaka
graduated as the best student in the field of wind instruments and percussion.
At
the CBS-Sony New Artist Audition (1988), Hikosaka was awarded the FM-Tokyo Prize
and the Christine Reed Prize for the self-rendition of his own original
saxophone composition. In the following year, he graduated from the Postgraduate
School of Tokyo University of Arts with a Masters in Arts. During that period,
he was featured twice as a soloist with the University?fs Orchestra.
Hikosaka
studied under Miyuki Tadachi, Hitoshi Nakamura, Fumiyoshi Maezawa and the late
master, Yuichi Omuro.
A
keen musician, Hikosaka often showcases his saxophone skills in recitals at
prominent performing venues throughout Japan. The main venue include the Komaba
Eminence (1991), the Hamarikyuu-Asahi Hall (1994 & 1997), and the Tokyo
Opera City (1996), wherein he performed a recital of "B to C", gaining
thunderous applause from the audience. More recently, he presented another major
recital at the Ichikawa Cultural Hall (2001), among the many other recitals he
presented all over Japan.
Hikosaka
released several solo albums, including "Ballade", "Dance"
and "Koechlin:Etudes".
Hikosaka
performed several times in the NHK Orchestra, as well as in many other
orchestras and wind orchestras throughout Japan, including the Tokyo Kosei Wind
Orchestra.
In
1989, Hikosaka, together with Nobuya Sugawa, Yasushi Arai and Yasuto Tanaka,
formed the saxophone ensemble "Trouvere Quartet". The group won the
second prize at the Tokyo International Music Competition (Chamber Ensemble) in
1992. The group has grown from strength to strength, gaining a good reputation
and showcasing a wide variety of music for the saxophone. In 2000, the quartet
traveled to perform in the Netherlands. Since its formation, the quartet has
released seven CDs. Among them, a piece called "Four Seasons of Trouvert",
composed and arranged by Jun Nagao on the basis of "Four Seasons" by
A. Vivaldi. Their rendition of this work brought rave review amongst the
listeners for the unbelievable and exquisite technique displayed by the artists.
Hikosaka
is also a member of the "Voicenesia Trio", a group that is dedicated
to an Asian type of music composed by Febian Reza Pane.
Home page of Hikosaka (in Japanese)
* profile correct as of 9 Dec 2001