Saki Kato

Saki Kato is a Japanese classical guitarist who specialises in the areas of new music performance and community music-making. In 2019 she gave her debut recital at the Wigmore Hall for the Julian Bream Trust, which included the world premiere of Edward Cowie’s Stream and Variations. As a Julian Bream Trust scholar, Saki studied privately with Julian Bream from 2017–20.

Saki’s extensive community music-making work includes leading musical workshops for participants of all ages. In 2020 she was awarded fellowships at Wigmore Hall Learning and Open Academy (RAM) to develop these skills. She works regularly with Britten Pears Arts, Royal Academy of Music, and Wigmore Hall Learning.

Saki graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 2020, having been awarded the Dove Award, the John McAslan Prize, the Timothy Gilson Guitar Prize, and the LRAM diploma.

www.sakikatoguitar.com

Saki also performs together with Hugh Millington as the Miyabi Duo, performing a variety of music for two guitars, ranging from new compositions to their own arrangements using both the classical guitar and the Shamisen, a traditional Japanese string instrument.  The duo is particularly committed to performing and working in all areas of the wider community, and since performing for the Wigmore Hall Learning’s ‘For Crying Out Loud’ series, they have performed in environments including hospitals, care homes, and dementia care settings. The duo is currently a fellowship ensemble on the Open Academy/ Wigmore Hall Learning programme at the Wigmore Hall in London, and in 2020 the duo was recognised through the Waldmann Music Award at Sidney Sussex College Cambridge, in acknowledgement of their work both within the concert hall and the wider community.

www.miyabiduo.com