SAITO Hiroki

In 1975, at the age of 19, he moved to France at the invitation of Daniel Deffayet. After graduating from the Conservatoire National de Région de Rouen, he graduated from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, Department of Saxophone, with a Premier Prix (first prize). He studied saxophone under Hiroshi Matsuzawa, H.R. Pollan, and D. Deffayet. In 1982, he performed at the 7th World Saxophone Congress (Nuremberg), and in 1988, at the 9th World Saxophone Congress (Kawasaki). In 1992, he performed H. Tomasi's "Concerto for Saxophone" at the Kagoshima Symphony Orchestra's regular concert. In 1994, he formed the saxophone quartet "Adolphe," and for the next 11 years, he held annual regular concerts in Fukuoka and Kumamoto, as well as special concerts in various other parts of Kyushu. In 2004 and 2005, he was invited as a member of the saxophone quartet "Adolphe" to the 10th and 11th Masan Contemporary Music Festivals in Korea, where he premiered many new works. In 2006, he performed J. Ibert's "Concertino da Camera" at a regular concert of the Jinju City Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Choi Chung-hee. He was a member of the Kyushu Wind Orchestra from its establishment in 2004 until 2019. He is also a member of the saxophone ensemble "Feuille." After serving as a part-time lecturer at Heisei College of Music, Kumamoto University, Kwassui Women's University, and Kyushu Women's Junior College, and as a professor at Fukuoka Women's Junior College, he now teaches aspiring musicians at the Faure Music Academy (Onojo City, Fukuoka Prefecture). He is an advisor to the Kyushu Saxophonist Group. He received the West Japan Music Association Award, Grand Prix of the West Japan Newcomer Introduction Concert. He resides in Onojo City, Fukuoka Prefecture.

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