Masaaki Suzuki

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Masaaki Suzuki (鈴木 雅明, Suzuki Masaaki^?, born 29 April 1954) is an organist, harpsichordist and conductor, and the founder and musical director of the Bach Collegium Japan.

He was born in Kobe to parents who were both Christian and amateur musicians. He studied composition and organ at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, and was later taught harpsichord and organ by Ton Koopman and Piet Kee and improvisation by Klaas Bolt at the Sweelink Conservatory in Amsterdam.^[1]

In 1993 he began teaching at Kobe University, and founded Bach Collegium Japan, a baroque orchestra, in 1990. The group began giving concerts regularly in 1992, and made its first recordings three years later. He directs them from the harpsichord and they are currently recording Bach's complete cantatas for BIS records. He is also currently recording Bach's complete works for harpsichord and is one of the few keyboard players to have recorded all four books of Bach's Clavier-übung (including book 3, which is for organ). He is currently professor of organ and harpsichord at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music.

[edit] References

1. ^ Masakata Kanazawa: "Suzuki, Masaaki", Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed 15 January 2007), <http://www.grovemusic.com>

• Notes to performance of B Minor Mass at the Barbican, London, 30 May 2006.

[edit] External links

• Bach Collegium Japan: Masaaki Suzuki
• The Meistersingers from Tokyo on his tour in Germany, by Wolfram Goertz, signandsight.com
• Who dares, wins - Jeal, Erica, The Guardian (12 May 2006).